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1 beyond pest ic ides • 2 0 1 7 • www.BeyondPesticides.org
Lawn & Garden PesticidesFacts & Figures
i n F o r m at i o n F o r ac t i o n
PESTICIDE USAGE
• 88millionhouseholdsintheU.S.usepesticidesaroundtheirhome.1
• Herbicidesaccountforthehighestusageofpesticidesinthehomeandgardensector,withover28millionpoundsappliedonlawnsand gardensin2012.2
• Suburbanlawnsandgardensreceivemorepesticideapplicationsperacre(3.2-9.8lbs.)thanagriculture(2.7lbs.peracreonaverage).3
• Pesticideexpenditures(orsales)bythechemicalindustryaverage$9billion.Annualsalesofthelandscapeindustryareover$53.9billion.4
• Includedinthemostcommonlyusedpesticidesinpoundsperyearare:2,4-D(7-9million),glyphosate/Roundup(4-6million),MCPP(Meco-prop)(2-4million),pendimethalin(2-4million),carbaryl(2–4million).5
• A2004nationalsurveyrevealsthat5millionhomeownersuseonlyorganiclawnpracticesandproductsand35millionpeopleusebothtoxicandnon-toxicmaterials.6
HEALTH & EXPOSURE RISKS
• Ofthe30commonlyusedlawnpes-ticides,16areprobableorpossiblecarcinogens,12arelinkedwithbirthdefects,21withreproductiveeffects,14areneurotoxic,25causeliverorkidneydamage,26aresensitizersand/orirritants,and17havethe
potentialtodisrupttheendocrine(hormonal)system.7
• Pregnantwomen,infantsandchil-dren,theelderly,andthechronicallyillareatgreatestriskfrompesticideexposure,whichcanincreaseriskofchronicdiseases.8
• Scientificstudiesfindsignificantpesticideresiduesinsidehomesduetodriftthroughtheairandchemicalstrackedin,wheretheycontaminateair,dust,surfaces,andcarpets.Higherlevelsofpesticidesinachild’shomehasbeenassociatedwithhigherlevelsofpesticide residueintheirurine.9
CHILDREN & PESTICIDES
• Childrentakeinmorepesticidesrelativetobodyweightthanadultsandhavedevelopingimmune,nervous,anddigestivesystemsthatmakethemmorevulnerabletoenvironmentaltoxins.10
• ThePresident’sCancerPanelonEnvironmentalCancerRisknotesthatleukemiaratesareconsistentlyelevatedamongchildrenwhoseparentsusedpesticidesintheirhomeandgarden.
• TheNationalAcademyofSciencesestimates50%oflifetimepesticideexposure occursduringthefirst
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fiveyearsof life.11AstudyinCancerCausesandControlsuggeststhatpreconceptionpesticideexposureandpossibleexposureduringpregnancyisassociatedwithanincreasedriskofchildhoodbraintumors.12
• Studiesshowlowlevelsofexposuretolawnpesticideproductsarelinkedtoincreasedratesofmiscarriage,andsuppressionofthenervous,endocrine,andimmunesystems.13
• Researchfindsthatyounginfantsandtoddlersexposedtoherbicides(weedkillers)withintheirfirstyearoflifeare4.5timesmorelikelytodevelopasthmabytheageoffive,andalmost2.5timesmorelikelywhenexposedtoinsecticides.14
• ResearchersatCincinnatiChildren’sHospitalMedicalCenterfoundanassociationbetweenincreasingex-posurestocommonlyusedsyntheticpyrethroidinsecticidesandattentiondeficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD),withahigherassociationinboysthangirls.15
• Childrenages6–11havehigherlevelsoflawnchemicalsintheirbloodthanallotheragecategories.Biomonitoringstudiesfindthatpes-ticidespassfrommothertochildthroughumbilicalcordbloodandbreastmilk.16
WILDLIFE, PETS & PESTICIDES
• AstudypublishedinEnvironmental Researchfoundthatdogswhoseowners’lawnsareprofessionallytreatedwithpesticidesareassociatedwithasignificantlyhigherriskofcaninemalignantlymphoma.17
• Ofthe30commonlyusedlawnpesticides:22aretoxictobirds,14aretoxictomammals,30aretoxictofishandaquaticorganisms,and29aredeadlytobees.18
• Pesticidescanbetoxictowildlifeandcausefoodsourcecontamina-tion,behavioralabnormalitiesthatinterferewithsurvival,anddeath.19
• Lawnandgardenpesticidesaredeadlytonontargetspeciesandcanharmbeneficialinsectsandsoilmicroorganismsessentialtoanatu-rallyhealthylawn.20
• Homeandgardeninsecticidesintheneonicotinoidclasshavebeenlinkedtopollinatordecline,withharmtobees’reproductionmobility,naviga-tion,feeding,foraging,memoryandlearning.21
PESTICIDES IN THE WATER
• Ofthe30commonlyusedlawnpesticides,19aredetectedingroundwater,and20havethe potentialtoleach.22
• InaU.S.GeologicalSurveystudyofglyphosatecontaminationin38states,scientistsdetectedthechemi-calinmorethan50%ofsamplesofsediment,ditchesanddrains,precipitation,largerivers,andstreams.23
• HalfofshallowwellswithintheU.S.havedetectablelevelsofpesticides,while20%ofprivatewellscontainatleastonecontaminantatlevelsofpotentialhealthconcern.24
• AftertheCanadianProvinceofOntarioimplementedrestrictionsontheuseofpesticides,agovernmentreportfoundastaggeringdeclineinherbicideconcentrations.Medianconcentrationsforherbicides2,4-D,dicamba,andMCPP,commonlyusedbybothprivateindividualsandlawncarecompanies,declinedby81%,83%,and71%,respectively.25
• Inadditiontoharmingpollinators,neonicotinoidcontaminationhasbeendetectedinrivers,lakes,andstreamsin29states,atlevelsthatcanresultindetrimentaleffectstokeystoneaquaticorganismsandtheentireaquaticfoodweb.26
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Lawn and garden pesticides . . . harm beneficial insects and soil microorganisms essential to a naturally healthy lawn.
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• Runofffromsyntheticchemicalfer-tilizerspollutesstreamsandlakesandcausesalgaeblooms,depletedoxygenanddamagetoaquaticlife.
THE REGISTRATION SYSTEM & PESTICIDE REGULATION
• ThehealthdataassessedbytheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)fortheregistrationofpesticidescomesfromthemanufacturerofthepesticide.EPAisnotobligatedundertheFederal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)toreviewpeer-reviewedscientificliterature.
• EPAoftenregisterspesticidesthroughaprogramcalled“conditionalregis-tration.”Inthesecases,theagencypermitsapesticidetogotomarketwithoutallofitsrequireddataonhealthandenvironmentalimpactsbecausetheagencyassumesthatnoharmwillresultasitwaitsforthisdata.TheU.S.GovernmentAccount-abilityOffice(GAO)hascriticizedtheagencyforthisprocess,notingthatEPA“doesnothaveareliablesystem…totrackkeyinformationre-latedtoconditionalregistrations.”27
• EPA’sevaluationofendocrine (hormone)disruptingpesticidesisyearsbehindscheduleandhasbeencriticizedforusingoutdatedmethods.TheNationalAcademyofScienceshasurgedtheagencytoalteritsapproachtoadequatelyaddressthelowdoseimpactsofthesechemicals.28
• EPAonlyteststheactiveingredientinpesticideformulations.Despitethefactthatapesticideproductcancon-tainmultipleingredients,theagencydoesnotlookatsynergisticeffects.Scienceshowsthatcombinationsofactiveingredientscanincreaseordecreasethetoxicityofaproduct,butthisimpactissimplynotevalu-atedbytheagency.29
• Moststateshavepreemptionlawsthatprohibitlocalitiesfrompassingordinancesthatrestrictpesticidesonprivatepropertymorestringentlythanthestatepolicy.30
“INERT” INGREDIENTS
• Pesticideproductsaremadeofanactiveingredientandseveral“inert,”orother,ingredients.“Inert”ingredi-entsarenotchemically,biologically,nortoxicologicallyinert.“Inerts”arenotdisclosedtothepublicduetotheirstatusas“tradesecrets.”
• Activeingredientsusuallycompriseonly5%oftheactualproduct;theotheringredientsmakeupthemajorityofagivenpesticideproductorformulation.31
• “Inert”ingredientscanbemoretoxictohumansthantheactiveingredient.Polyethoxylatedtallowamine,orPOEA,oftenfoundinRoundupfor-mulationswithglyphosate,isanex-ampleofan“inert”ingredientlinkedtodamagetoembryonic,placentalandumbilicalcordcells.32
• Aftera2006proposalbyEPAtodisclose“inert”ingredientsallowedinpesticideformulations,theagencyretracteditsoriginalintentandreleasedinformationaboutonly72ofthe371“inerts”allowedinpesticideproductformulations.EPAfurtherindicatedthedisclosed“inerts”werenolongerinuse.33
E N D N O T E S
1 U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA).2017.PesticidesIndustrySalesandUsage:2008-2012MarketEstimates.https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-01/documents/pesticides-industry-sales-usage-2016_0.pdf.
2 Ibid.
3 NationalResearchCouncil.1980.UrbanPestManagement.NationalAcademyofSciences;Abrams,R.,AttorneyGeneralofNewYork.1991.“ToxicFairways:Risk-ingGroundwaterContaminationfromPesticidesonLongIslandGolfCourses,”EnvironmentalProtectionBureau;Pimentel,D,etal.1991.“EnvironmentalandEconomicImpactsofReducingU.S.AgriculturalPesticideUse,”HandbookofPestManagementinAgriculture, 2nded.CRCPress,Florida,p.679.
4 UnitedStatesCensusBureau.2016.2012EconomicCensus-LandscapingServices.https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk.
5 Ibid.
6 TheNationalGardeningAssociationandOrganic Gardening Magazine. 2004July.EnvironmentalLawnandGardenSurvey.
7 BeyondPesticidesFactsheet.2015.Health Effects of 30 Commonly Used Lawn Pesticides. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn/factsheets/30health.pdf.
8 EPA.2003.TacklingaSuspectedHazardofAging.http://www.epa.gov/ord/archives/2003/september/htm/article1.htm(accessed3/4/05);U.S.EPA.2002Oct31.“EPAAnnouncesNewAgingInitiativetoProtectOlderPersonsFromEnvironmentalHealthThreats.”AmericanAcademyofPediatrics.2012.PesticideExposureinChildren.Pediatrics. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/6/e1757.
9 Rudel,Ruthann,etal.2003.“Phthalates,Alkylphenols,Pesticides,PolybrominatedDiphenylEthers,andOtherEndocrine-DisruptingCompoundsinIndoorAirandDust,”Environmental Science and Technology 37(20):4543–4553;Nishioka,M.,etal.2001.“Distributionof2,4-DinAirandonSurfacesInsideResidencesAfterLawnApplications:ComparingExposure
EstimatesfromVariousMediaforYoungChildren,”Environmental Health Perspec-tives 109(11);Trunnelle,KJetal.2014.UrinaryPyrethroidandChlorpyrifosMeta-boliteConcentrationsinNorthernCaliforniaFamiliesandTheirRelationshiptoIndoorResidentialInsecticideLevels,PartoftheStudyofUseofProductsandExposureRelatedBehavior(SUPERB).http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es403661a.
10EPA.2015.PesticidesandtheirImpactonChildren:KeyFactsandTalkingPoints.https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-12/documents/pest-impact-hsstaff.pdf.
11NationalInstitutesofHealth.2008.President’sCancerPanel-Reports.ReducingEnvironmentalCancerRisk:WhatWeCanDoNow.https://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/annualReports.
12GreenKR,PetersS,BaileyHD.2013.Exposuretopesticidesandtheriskofchildhoodbraintumors.CancerCausesandControl.Jul;24(7):1269–78https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23558445.
The National Academy of Sciences has urged the agency to . . . address the low dose impacts of these chemicals.
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13Greenlee,A.etal.2004.“Low-DoseAgrochemicalsandLawn-CarePesticidesInduceDevelopmentalToxicityinMurinePreimplantationEmbryos,”Environ Health Perspect 112(6):703–709;Cavieres,M.,etal.2002.“Developmentaltoxicityofacommercialherbicidemixtureinmice:Effectsonembryoimplantationandlittersize.”Environ Health Perspect 110:1081–1085.
14Salam,M.T.,etal.2004.“EarlyLifeEnvironmentalRiskFactorsforAsthma:FindingsfromtheChildren’sHealthStudy,”Environ Health Perspectives 112(6):760.
15Wagner-Schuman,M,Richardson,J,Auinger,Petal.2015.Associationofpyrethroidpesticideexposurewithattention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorderinanationallyrepresentativesampleofU.S.children.EnvironmentalHealth.14:44.
16CentersforDiseaseControlandPreven-tion.2003Jan.SecondNationalReportonHumanExposuretoEnvironmentalChemicals;Pohl,HR.,etal.2000.“Breast-feedingexposureofinfantstoselectedpesticides,”Toxicol Ind Health 16:65-77;Sturtz,N.,etal.2000.“Detectionof2,4-Dichlorophenoxyaceticacidresiduesinneonatesbreast-fedby2,4-Dexposeddams,”Neurotoxicology 21(1–2):147–54;Houlihan,J.,etal.2005.Body Burden, The Pollution in Newborns.EnvironmentalWorkingGroup,Washington,D.C.
17Takashima-Uebelhoer,BBetal.2012.Householdchemicalexposuresandtheriskofcaninemalignantlymphoma,amodelforhumannon-Hodgkin’slymphoma.Environmental Research. 112(171–176).
18BeyondPesticidesFactsheet.2015. Environmental Effects of 30 Commonly Used Lawn Pesticides. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn/factsheets/30enviro.pdf.
19DefendersofWildlife.The Dangers of Pesticides to Wildlife [whitepaper].2005April.www.pesticidefreelawns.org/resources.
20Restmeyer,S.J.2003.Ecological Pest Management: Embracing the Organic Approach to Landscape Management. Pesticides and You 23(1):11–12.BeyondPesticides,Washington,D.C.
21Toheretal.2014.NoLongeraBigMystery.Pesticides and You. (34)(1) 9-12. BeyondPesticides,Washington,D.C. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/pollinators/nolongeraBIGmystery.pdf.
22PesticidesFactsheet.2005.Environmental Effects of 30 Commonly Used Lawn Pesticides. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn/factsheets/30enviro.pdf.
23Battaglinetal.2014.GlyphosateanditsDegradationProductAMPAOccurFre-quentlyandWidelyinU.S.Soils,SurfaceWater,Groundwater,andPrecipitation.Journal of the American Water Resources Association. (50)(2)275-290.
24Ryberg,K.R.,Vecchia,A.V.,Martin,J.D.,andGilliom,R.J.,2010,TrendsinpesticideconcentrationsinurbanstreamsintheUnitedStates,1992–2008:U.S.GeologicalSurveyScientificInvestigationsReport2010–5139,101;DeSimone,Leslie.2009.UnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey.“QualityofWaterfromDomesticWellsinPrincipalAquifersoftheUnitedStates,1991–2004.”http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2008/5227/includes/sir2008-5227.pdf.
25OntarioMinistryoftheEnvironment.2011.PesticideConcentrationsinOntario’sUrbanStreamsOneYearAftertheCosmeticPes-ticidesBan.http://www.landscapeontario.com/attach/1295274330.MOE_Update_-_Aaron_Todd.pdf.
26Harriott,NichelleandShistar,Terry.2017.PoisonedWaterways:Thesamepesticidethatiskillingbeesisdestroyinglifeinthenation’sstreams,rivers,andlakes.Pesticides and You. (40)(1).9–18.BeyondPesticides,Washington,D.C.
27U.S.GovernmentAccountabilityOffice.2013.EPAShouldTakeStepstoImproveItsOversightofConditionalRegistrations.GAO-13-145.http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-145.
28Colborn,Theo.2009.EPA’snewpesticidetestingisoutdated,crude. Environmental Health News. http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/editorial/epa2019s-new-pesticide-testing-is-outdated-crude;NationalAcademiesofSciences,Engi-neering,andMedicine.2017.ApplicationofSystemicReviewMethodsinanOverallStrategyforEvaluatingLow-DoseToxicityfromEndocrineActiveChemicals.https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24758/application-of-systematic-review-methods-in-an-overall-strategy-for-evaluating-low-dose-toxicity-from-endocrine-active-chemicals.
29CenterforBiologicalDiversity.2016.ToxicConcoctions:HowtheEPAIgnorestheDangersofPesticideCocktails.http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/pesticides_reduction/pdfs/Toxic_concoctions.pdf.
30Porter,Matt.2013.StatePreemptionLaw:Thebattleforcontrolofdemocracy.Pesticides and You. (33)(3). BeyondPesticides,WashingtonD.C.
31Spitzer,E.,AttorneyGeneralofNY.2000.The Secret Ingredients in Pesticides: Reducing Risk. Abrams,R.,1991.AttorneyGeneralofNY.“The Secret Hazards of Pesticides: Inert Ingredients.”
32Benachour,NandSeralini,G.E.2009.GlyphosateFormulationsInduceApoptosisandNecrosisinHumanUmbilical,Embryonic,andPlacentalCells.Chemical Research and Toxicology. 22(1),97–105.http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/tx800218n.
33EPA.2014.EPAProposestoRemove72ChemicalsfromApprovedPesticideInertIngredientList.https://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/3397554fa65588d685257d7a0061a300?OpenDocument;BeyondPesticides.2014.DailyNewsBlog.GroupsCallforLabelingof300InertIngredientsasEPADelists72AlreadyDiscontinued.http://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2014/10/epa-delisting-of-72-inert-ingredients-no-longer-used-called-inadequate-response-to-problem.
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