Latest News...
- Monday, September 7, 2020
The Insect Apocalypse Moves Up the Food Chain: American Bird Populations in Rapid Decline Due to Pesticide Use
(Beyond Pesticides, August 18, 2020) 'Ongoing declines in bird population and diversity are being accelerated by the use of neonicotinoid insecticides, according to research published in Nature Sustainability earlier this month.
Using these models, researchers determined that for every 100kg (220 lbs) increase in the use of any neonicotinoid within a US county, grassland bird populations subsequently decrease by 2.2%, and 1.4% of non-grassland birds die-off. Similarly, 1.6% insect-eating birds are lost, and 1.5% of non-insectivorous species are killed off. Species richness, the number of different bird species in a given area, and species evenness, determined by the relative abundance of different species, also decline as neonicotinoid use increases.
The study acts as a culmination of several threads of ongoing research into the impacts of neonicotinoids on bird populations.'
filed under neonicotinoids and wildlife/birds
- Monday, September 7, 2020
Study Shows Organic Food Diet Reduces Residues of Glyphosate in Body
Study Shows Organic Food Diet Reduces Residues of Glyphosate in Body
(Beyond Pesticides, August 13, 2020) 'Levels of the notorious herbicide compound glyphosate in the human body are reduced by 70% through a one-week switch to an organic diet.'
filed under body burden and glyphosate
- Monday, September 7, 2020
Scientists Link Toxic Coronavirus Disinfectant Use to Wild Animal Deaths
Scientists Link Toxic Coronavirus Disinfectant Use to Wild Animal Deaths
(Beyond Pesticides, August 13, 2020) 'An alarming new scientific report finds that excessive, indiscriminate disinfectant use against COVID-19 puts wildlife health at risk, especially in urban settings. The analysis, published in the journal Environmental Research, finds many of the chemical ingredients in disinfectant products are “acutely toxic to both terrestrial and aquatic animals,” causing death following exposure. Additionally, these chemicals have implications for human health as infectious disease specialists at the World Health Organization (WHO) warn excessive disinfectant use can cause respiratory problems, especially for those with underlying respiratory conditions.
“Given that there are no scientific guidelines for the large-scale use of disinfectants in outdoor urban environments, it is crucial to develop strategies to minimize the environmental pollution caused by this practice… An effective biological and environmental safety evaluation and prevention system are required to be put forward for facilitating healthy environments for organisms and biodiversity, especially for managing the future global public health challenges.”'
SNAP Comment: I believe this article refers to widespread outdoor use of disinfectants as has been done in many countries. The risks vary with the disinfectant used (many listed with side effects). The health effects to humans also occur with indoor or personal use.
filed under antibacterials
- Monday, September 7, 2020
Atrazine Found to Harm Marsupial Health
still 12 atrazine registered products in Canada
Atrazine Found to Harm Marsupial Health
(Beyond Pesticides, August 12, 2020) 'The herbicide atrazine can interfere with the health and reproduction of marsupials (including kangaroos and opossums) kangaroo, Virginia opossum, according to research published in the journal Reproduction, Fertility, and Development.
Researchers found changes to the gene expression necessary for basic function of the testis, and a significant reduction in phallus length. “These results demonstrate that atrazine exposure during gestation and lactation can significantly affect the development of male young by affecting virilization,” the authors write.' The doses were slightly higher than real world models,
'Worse yet, EPA is set to reregister atrazine for another 15 years of hazardous use.'
SNAP Comment: There are still 12 atrazine registered products in Canada as of 6 September 2020.While there are no opossums in Saskatchewan,there are some in other parts of Canada.
filed under atrazine and reproductive health
- Sunday, August 16, 2020
Researchers Developing New Methods to Detect Pesticide Contamination in Bee Hives
Researchers Developing New Methods to Detect Pesticide Contamination in Bee Hives
(Beyond Pesticides, July 28, 2020) . 'This new product, APIStrip (Adsorb Pesticide In-hive Strip), can be placed into bee hives and act as a passive sampler for pesticide pollution. Honey bees are sentinel species for environmental pollutants, and this new technology could provide a helpful way not only for beekeepers to pinpoint problems with their colonies, but also track ambient levels of pesticide pollution in a community.' plus review of other monitoring tools.
filed under new page monitoring
- Sunday, August 16, 2020
Unregulated, “Shocking” and Destructive Levels of Pesticide Mixtures Found in Waterways
The discovery of such intensive penetration of pesticides in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon adds to the chronicling of damage being wrought on these marine wonderlands
Unregulated, “Shocking” and Destructive Levels of Pesticide Mixtures Found in Waterways (Beyond Pesticides, July 17, 2020)
'Researchers have discovered that the rivers and creeks that discharge into the lagoon of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are riddled with mixtures of pesticides. The University of Queensland team expected to find some such mixtures in their sampling, but was shocked to find that 99.8% of their samples contained up to 20 different pesticides. Michael Warne, PhD, lead researcher and associate professor at the University of Queensland’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, says, “The issue with having mixtures of pesticides is that as the number of pesticides increases the impact to aquatic ecosystems generally increases.”
The discovery of such intensive penetration of pesticides in the GBR Lagoon adds to the chronicling of damage being wrought on these marine wonderlands'
filed under water
- Sunday, August 16, 2020
Nearly A Century of Pesticide Use Changed the Size of Australian Dingoes
Nearly A Century of Pesticide Use Changed the Size of Australian Dingoes
(Beyond Pesticides, August 5, 2020) 'Regions of Australia that use a highly toxic rodenticide are home to larger dingoes than areas where the pesticide is not used, according to research published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. Over the course of roughly the last century, dingoes in rodenticide-baited regions have grown by between six and nine percent.
Researchers proposed a range of ideas as to why the size increases occurred.
Research studied Compound 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate or sodium monofluoroacetate) which is a water-soluble, odorless, colorless, tasteless, and lethally toxic poison with no antidote; a single teaspoon could kill as many as 100 adult humans. It causes basic cellular process to fail, leading to gross organ failure and a very painful death.'
SNAP Comment: Four products containing sodium monofluoroacetate bregistered in Canada by the governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
filed under wildlife/ mammals
- Sunday, August 16, 2020
Environmental Pollutants, including Pesticides, Can Increase Susceptibility to Infectious Diseases
Environmental Pollutants, including Pesticides, Can Increase Susceptibility to Infectious Diseases
(Beyond Pesticides, July 24, 2020) ' New research shows one such relationship: the transmission of schistosomiasis, a tropical disease caused by contact with the larvae of parasitic worms (schistosomes), is likely accelerated by the use of pesticides and other agrochemicals (such as synthetic fertilizers). The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, also shows that contamination of freshwater bodies with these chemicals disturbs ecological balances that can actually limit schistosome infections.'
filed under immune/infections
- Sunday, August 16, 2020
Long-Term Pesticide Exposure Linked to Hearing Loss in Farmworkers
Long-Term Pesticide Exposure Linked to Hearing Loss in Farmworkers
(Beyond Pesticides, July 30, 2020) 'Simultaneous exposure to pesticides and noise from agricultural machinery increases farmworkers, risk of hearing loss, according to the study, “Hearing Loss in Agricultural Workers Exposed to Pesticides and Noise,” published in the journal Annals of Work Exposures and Health....However, this study is one of the first to associate hearing loss with the additive effect to concurrent, persistent pesticide exposure, and noise.
Specifically, the highest level of cumulative pesticide exposure stems from organophosphates (OP)—derived from World War II nerve agents)—which are significantly associated with hearing loss in the high-frequency band, according to the study.'
filed under hearing loss
- Sunday, August 16, 2020
Pesticide Use Linked to Increased Risk of Lung Cancer
Pesticide Use Linked to Increased Risk of Lung Cancer
(Beyond Pesticides, July 23, 2020) Chronic pesticide use, and subsequent exposure, elevate a person’s risk of developing lung cancer.
'Individual pesticides exhibiting a significant correlation with lung cancer are chlorpyrifos, as well as legacy pesticides carbofuran and dieldrin. Lastly, researchers categorized the number of cumulative pesticide exposure days into quartiles (Q1-Q4), with Q1 being the lowest exposure and Q4 the highest. Researchers placed participants who used pesticides for less than 160 days in Q1 and participants who used pesticides for more than 530 days in Q4. According to the study, the use of pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides have a positive association with lung cancer development, with Q4 exposure participants displaying elevated risk of lung cancer compared to Q1 exposure participants.
Although exposure to insecticides and herbicides increases the risk of developing lung cancer for participants in Q2 through Q4, only Q4 exposure (the highest exposure level) significantly increases the risk of lung cancer for fungicide use. From a research perspective, the higher exposure effects for Q2 through Q4 are a function of high acute toxicity for insecticides and herbicides.'
filed under pesticides and cancer