Archives for 2021
- Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Glyphosate Profile
PROBABLE CARCINOGEN (IARC 2A)
Glyphosate Profile (Carex Canada) CAREX Canada PESTICIDES – PROBABLE CARCINOGEN (IARC 2A)
(CARcinogen EXposure) is a multi-institution team of researchers and specialists with expertise in epidemiology, risk assessment, toxicology, geographic information systems, and knowledge mobilization. The purpose of CAREX Canada is to provide a body of knowledge about Canadians’ exposures to known and suspected carcinogens, in order to support organizations in prioritizing exposures and in developing targeted exposure reduction policies and programs.
filed under glyphosate and cancer
- Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Researchers Find Nontoxic Method Kills a Problematic Fungus When It Least Expects It
Researchers Find Nontoxic Method Kills a Problematic Fungus When It Least Expects It
(Beyond Pesticides, March 17, 2021) Ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) applied at night can successfully kill powdery mildew in farm fields, providing a potential route to significantly reduce the use of toxic fungicides, new research published in the journal Plant Disease finds. “UV treatments applied once or twice weekly were as effective as the best available fungicides applied on similar schedules for control of strawberry powdery mildew,"
filed under Alternatives/Diseases
- Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Arkansas Plant Board Takes First Step to Roll Back Crop Damage Protections from Dicamba/Herbicide Drift
Arkansas Plant Board Takes First Step to Roll Back Crop Damage Protections from Dicamba/Herbicide Drift (Beyond Pesticides, March 23, 2021) 'Earlier this month, the Arkansas State Plant Board (ASPB) voted to loosen regulations curtailing use of the highly drift-prone herbicide dicamba. With an 8-7 vote, ASPB eliminated measures advanced in 2016 that protect growers from dicamba drifting off of genetically engineered (GE) soybean fields.'
filed under Legislation/regulatory/USA
- Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Pesticide Exposure, Agricultural Work Associated with Chronic Lung Disease
Pesticide Exposure, Agricultural Work Associated with Chronic Lung Disease
(Beyond Pesticides, March, 16, 2021) Occupational and environmental exposure to pesticides and other contaminants in the environment increase the risk of developing a lung condition known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a meta-analysis published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports. IPF is a chronic, degenerative disease with no certain cause or cure. It is estimated to affect roughly 13 women and 20 men in 100,000 adults worldwide annually, with onset averaging age 66. Pesticide use and agricultural work were found to have the strongest association with IPF. Pesticide exposure increased risk of IPF by 107%, whereas agricultural workers recorded an 88% increased risk.
filed under respiratory
- Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Common Use Organophosphate Insecticides Pose a Greater Threat to Women’s Health
Common Use Organophosphate Insecticides Pose a Greater Threat to Women’s Health
(Beyond Pesticides, March 18, 2021) A new study published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology finds chronic (long-term) organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure increases adverse health and cancer risk for U.S.women relative to men. Study results demonstrate that non-smoking women with higher concentrations of OP metabolites are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, bronchitis, asthma, and total cancer, including breast cancer. OP exposure contributes most significantly to cardiovascular disease risk in women 60 to 85 years old. Increasing prescription drug use to treat pulmonary issues among women with higher OP concentrations indicates a relationship between exposure and health issues. Although breast cancer risk is highest among women overall, female smokers have a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer in combination with OP exposure. Lastly, OP exposure among male smokers can increase rates of prostate cancer.
filed under Fact Sheets/Organophosphates and cancer/links
- Sunday, March 28, 2021
Economic Impact of Glyphosate Contamination on Organic Production in Saskatchewan
Economic Impact of Glyphosate Contamination on Organic Production in Saskatchewan (COTA Organic summit, November 18. 2019)
- 26% producers had an unintended contact with glyphosate incident on their farm
- 46% of respondents had to take land out of production
- 20% of respondents lost a sale
- 52% of respondents reported a financial loss
- 20 % of exporters had loads rejected by buyer that had passed glyphosate residue testing before it left Saskatchewan.
filed under
- Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Minnesota Deer Threatened by Ubiquitous Neonicotinoid Contamination, According to Study
Minnesota Deer Threatened by Ubiquitous Neonicotinoid Contamination, According to Study (Beyond Pesticides, March 10, 2021)
'Preliminary results reveal that 61% of deer spleen samples contained neonicotinoids. Although MDNR notes that these levels are below allowable levels set by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for consumption of other foods like fruit and beef, it has not yet released exact numbers, and that fact alone does not equate to safety.
Subsequent reporting from the Minneapolis Star Tribune indicates that some of the deer spleens tested contained detections well above levels found in the South Dakota study that result in fawn birth defects (.33 parts per billion). A letter written to hunters who provided MDNR spleen samples informed them that initial testing found levels as high as 6.1 parts per billion.
The detections were not simply from one particular location, but widespread throughout the state, even in remote, forested areas. These data reinforce long-standing calls by scientists and conservation groups to eliminate the use of neonicotinoids due to their broad ranging impacts on ecosystems. In 2018, the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides, an international group of over 240 scientists published a Worldwide Integrated Assessment (WIA) synthesizing 1,121 published peer-reviewed studies over the last five years. The scientists found that, “neonics impact all species that chew a plant, sip its sap, drink its nectar, eat its pollen or fruit and these impacts cascade through an ecosystem weakening its stability.”
filed under wiildlfe/mammals and neonicotinoids
- Wednesday, March 24, 2021
EPA Proposes Cancellation of Highly Toxic Wood Preservative Pentachlorophenol (“Penta”)
EPA Proposes Cancellation of Highly Toxic Wood Preservative Pentachlorophenol (“Penta”)
(Beyond Pesticides, March 9, 2021) Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an interim decision to cancel of one of the most hazardous pesticides still used in the United States, pentachlorophenol (penta). Although long overdue, health advocates are hailing the agency’s action, taken due to significant risks to human health, the availability of alternatives, and the uncertain future of penta production. ...Although most uses of penta were eliminated in the 1980s, its application as a wood preservative remained.
Beyond Pesticides has extensive documentation on the history of penta production and regulation.linked to in this article.
SNAP Comment: As of 23 March 2021, there are still 2 commercial pentachlorophol products registered din Canada. SaskPower is still widely using penta-treated power poles and I suspect that penta is the product they use to retreat the poles to ensure a longer life. See Publications May 7, 2017 for Sask Power use and SNAP letter.
filed under Treated wood
- Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Ecosystem Health: Pesticide Use from Forest Management Practices Threatens Essential West Coast Marine Organisms
(Beyond Pesticides, March 11, 2021) A Portland State University (PSU) study finds that pesticides from the forestry industry threaten clams, mussels, oysters (bivalves) along the Oregon state coast. Bivalves are excellent indicator species, signaling environmental contamination through their sedimentary, filter-feeding diet. However, continuous pesticide inputs—from various forestry management regimes—into watersheds along Oregon’s coastal zone endanger these species in downstream rivers and estuaries (river mouths).... there is a lack of studies addressing the overall impact of multiple chemical mixtures and application on watersheds and subsequent aquatic transport.
The study results detect 12 different chemical compounds (two herbicides, three fungicides, and seven insecticides) in both water and bivalve samples—five of which are current-use pesticides in forest management. Although pesticide concentration and type vary by season, organism, and watershed location, 38 percent of bivalve samples harbor pesticide concentrations high enough to accumulate in tissues. Indaziflam (a current-use herbicide in Oregon forestry) is present in seven percent of bivalve samples. Furthermore, water samples find current-use herbicides hexazinone and atrazine, and banned pesticides like DDT/DDE contribute to aquatic contamination downstream. The study uncovers that most contamination occurs along the Central Oregon Coast in the Siuslaw and Smith watersheds
Additionally, coastal and offshore aquaculture (farming of aquatic organisms) presents a new, looming threat to marine health. Namely, the use of antibiotics and pesticides on local marine ecosystems (e.g., insecticides to control sea lice in farmed salmon) results in coastal habitat loss and genetic and health risks to wild marine populations.
SNAP Comment: As of 23 March 2021, 7 Indaziflam products are registered in Canada, most for orchards and one for non residential/non-crop areas which includes railroads and utilities but not specifically forestry. 5 Hexazinone products with 3 used for alfalfa and blueberries, and 2 for woodland management and Christmas tree plantations, and 12 Atrazine labels which seem to be for use mostly in corn and agriculture. I suspect that extensive water testing in Canada would indicate the presence of many pesticides that likely could accumulate in bivalves and other aquatic organisms. If these particular products were found, the source would likely be agricultural and not forestry.
- Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Despite 1,700 Dog and Cat Deaths from Flea Collars, EPA Silent; Children at Risk
Despite 1,700 Dog and Cat Deaths from Flea Collars, EPA Silent; Children at Risk
(Beyond Pesticides, March 5, 2021) Pet owners will be alarmed to read the report, by USA Today, that a popular flea and tick collar — Seresto, developed by Bayer and sold by Elanco — has been linked to nearly 1,700 pet deaths, injuries to tens of thousands of animals, and harm to hundreds of people... Beyond Pesticides and other advocates have warned of the toxicity of pet pesticide treatments, not only to the animals themselves, but also, to children and other household members. There are nontoxic ways to protect pets from fleas and other pests, and to protect human family members at the same time.
The active pesticide ingredients in the Seresto pet collars are imidacloprid and flumethrin. The neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid is a commonly used pesticide associated with serious health and environmental decline. ... Flumethrin is a chemical in the pyrethroid class of synthetic neurotoxic insecticides, which have been repeatedly linked to neurological issues, such as seizures and learning disabilities in children, and to gastrointestinal distress, as well as to damage to non-target invertebrates, according to EPA’s own analysis.'
SNAP Comment: There are 99 imidacloprid products registered in Canada as of 23 March 2021, many of them registered for pet treatments. Flumethrin is not and has not bee registered in Canada. The Seresto trademark is not registered in Canada.
Filed under pets, neonicotinoids and pyrethrins
- Sunday, March 21, 2021
No more excuses: Global network demands phase-out of Highly Hazardous Pesticides by 2030
No more excuses: Global network demands phase-out of Highly Hazardous Pesticides by 2030 (PAN, March 19, 2021)
Includes links to the PAN International Consolidated List of Banned Pesticides and PAN International List of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (PAN List of HHPs) (March 2021)
PAN’s Bans List shows that 162 countries have banned a total of 460 pesticide active ingredients or groups of actives regarded as still ‘currently in use’ in the global market, i.e. not obsolete. In total, there were 94 active ingredients that were newly added to the list of banned pesticides. This includes the world’s most popular weedkiller, glyphosate. The list also shows that for the first time, imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam – neonicotinoids linked to bee deaths – have all lost approval in the European Union (EU).
filed under Pesticide Safety
- Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Let s talk about herbicide residues in forest communities: what are they doing?
Let’s talk about herbicide residues in forest communities: what are they doing?(Dr. Lisa Wood, UNBC - November 13 2020) 1 hour and 16 minutes video presentation. Several charts indicating that glyphosate and its breakdown products AMPA persist much longer in the "real world" scenario,.When plants such as raspberries and Blueberries are not kiilled outright by glyphosate, they accumulate glyphosate and AMPA intheir tissues and fruits. The first year after spraying, over 70% of samples contained glyphosate and AMPA.. It took 6 years for new raspberry samples contained no herbicide.
filed under forestry/ herbicides
Stop the Spray Canada Facebook group
- Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Glyphosate: Its Environmental Persistence and Impact on Crop Health and Nutrition
Glyphosate: Its Environmental Persistence and Impact on Crop Health and Nutrition (Ramdas Kanissery et al, Plants (Basel). 2019 Nov; 8(11): 499).
'The purpose of this brief review is to present and discuss the state of knowledge with respect to its persistence in the environment, possible effects on crop health, and impacts on crop nutrition.'
filded under Food/Nutrition
- Monday, March 15, 2021
Solitary Wild Bees Harmed by Neonicotinoid Pesticides Applied by Soil Drenching
Solitary Wild Bees Harmed by Neonicotinoid Pesticides Applied by Soil Drenching
(Beyond Pesticides, March 2, 2021) 'Populations of solitary ground nesting bees decline after exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides, according to a study published in Scientific Reports late last month. In addition to ground-nesting bees, neonicotinoids have been shown to harm butterflies, hummingbirds, songbirds, aquatic species and mammals, including human,.. Squash seeds were treated with the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam, the neonicotinoid imidacloprid was applied as a soil drench, and chlorantraniliprole was sprayed on plant foliage. A fourth group of hoop houses did not have a pesticide applied in order to act as a control.
Results show that the soil drench (imidacloprid) presents significant hazards to ground nesting bees. Hoary squash bees in this group initiated 85% fewer nests, harvested 5 times less pollen, and produced 89% fewer offspring than the untreated control group... Whatever the etiology of the deleterious effects observed, study authors are certain that their data points to unacceptable hazards from the use of imidacloprid.'
filed under wildlife/insects and neonicotinoids
- Monday, March 15, 2021
Implications for Human Health: Glyphosate-Related Soil Erosion Re-Releases Toxic Pesticides from Soil
French West Indies study. (Beyond Pesticides, March 4, 2021) A new study finds glyphosate use stimulates soil erosion responsible for releasing banned, toxic pesticide chlordecone (Kepone), which was used in banana production. ... Researchers note, “Chlordecone fluxes drastically increased when glyphosate use began, leading to widespread ecosystem contamination. As glyphosate is used globally, ecotoxicological risk management strategies should consider how its application affects persistent pesticide storage in soils, transfer dynamics, and widespread contamination.” Conventional pesticide use contaminates soil and their respective Critical Zone (CZ) compartments.
SNAP Comment: I wonder how many other chemicals it might release through erosion... However, there was a lot more soil drifting in SK before chem fallowing with Roundup.
filed under glyphosate, water and soils
- Monday, March 15, 2021
Update on the Neonicotinoid Pesticides
(Government of Canada, 30 September 2020)
Update on the Neonicotinoid Pesticides (Government of Canada, 30 September 2020)
filed under Legislation/Regulatory/Canada
- Monday, March 15, 2021
Massachusetts Regulators Restrict Consumer Use of Bee-Toxic Neonicotinoid Pesticides
Massachusetts Regulators Restrict Consumer Use of Bee-Toxic Neonicotinoid Pesticides
(Beyond Pesticides, March 3, 2021) Earlier this week, pesticide regulators in the commonwealth of Massachusetts voted to restrict outdoor consumer uses of neonicotinoid insecticides. The move is the result of sustained advocacy from broad coalition of individuals and organizations focused on protecting pollinators and ecosystem health.
SNAP Comment: This law does not restrict use in pet products and nursery plants or commercial products used by pest control applicators if used indoors or for health reasons.As of 15 March 2021, there are 63 PMRA imidacloprid and 3 dinotefuran (mostly for tiick and fleas on pets) 1 acetamiprid, and 1 Thiamethoxam (antgel).registered as insecticides consumer (domestic) products, Although I haven't checked the commercial products, there are likely some that can be used by pest control applicators..
filed under Bylaws/USA
- Monday, March 15, 2021
Chemical control in forest pest management
a Canadian history
Chemical control in forest pest management (Stephen B. Holmes and Chris J.K. MacQuarrie, Cambridge University Press: 25 January 2016)
a history.from Roman and Chinese times to modern. In Canada it starts with DDT in Algonquin Park, Ontario, in 1944-45 and goes throuhg a slough of products including some that were never registered.like Mexacarbate used in Quebec and Ontario (1972-75) to pyrethrins and fenitrothion (until 1998). Then tebufenozide, an insect moulting hormone analogue, temporarily registerd in 1996 for moths and butterflies, like Spruce Budworm. The neonicotinoid imidacloprid is also used in forestry. For control pine bark beetle, the arsenic based herbicide MSMA has also been used on selective trees after bringing the beetles in with a pheromone attractant. Environmental effects of the various insecticides are also mentioned. The article also discusses botanical based insecticides like azadirachtin and spinosyns. The article also discussesaerial application.
filed under forestry
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Herbicide Use in “Regenerative” No-Till Contaminates Waterbodies
Herbicide Use in “Regenerative” No-Till Contaminates Waterbodies
US study. (Beyond Pesticides, February 19, 2021) 'Tackling any one problem without precautionary attention to potential consequences of a solution — before it is enacted — is the opposite of the holistic understandings and strategies needed to solve environmental crises. Piecemeal approaches often generate unintended consequences. To wit: Vermont Public Radio (VPR) reports on revelations from a retired state scientist, Nat Shambaugh, who finds that farmers’ efforts to reduce agricultural runoff from fields into waterbodies, by planting cover crops, has resulted in significant increases in the use of herbicides to kill off those crops.'
filed under Risk Assessment and water
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Eliminating Pesticides Increases Crop Yields, Debunking Myth of Pesticide Benefits
soil fungi eliminate nematodes
Eliminating Pesticides Increases Crop Yields, Debunking Myth of Pesticide Benefits
(Beyond Pesticides, February 12, 2021) Recent research points to an example of such ecosystem efficacy. The study, by researchers in California and China, sought to evaluate whether increased population densities of fungi might be suppressing nematode populations in California production fields frequently planted with the cole crops (such as brussels sprouts and broccoli) they favor. The research finds that a diverse population of fungi in soils is highly likely to be effectively killing nematodes that threaten such crops.
These research results demonstrate how faulty the use of fungicides — which in 2012 amounted to 105 million pounds in the U.S — is likely to be. These compounds destroy fungi that provide a variety of beneficial and economically valuable ecosystem (and crop) services. Fungi decompose and recycle nutrients, improve moisture retention, and even act as biological controls for some fungal diseases. Many other pesticides, including glyphosate (which is an antibiotic) threaten microbial life, as well.
filed under Alternatives/insects and invertebrates
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Glyphosate and Other Weed Killers Create Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Agricultural Soils
as well as glufosinate and dicamba
Glyphosate and Other Weed Killers Create Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Agricultural Soils
(Beyond Pesticides, February 24, 2021) 'Soil sprayed with weedkillers glyphosate, glufosinate, or dicamba are likely to contain higher amounts of antibiotic resistant bacteria, according to research published earlier this month in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. Each year in the United States, at least 2 million people develop an antibiotic resistant infection, and over 23,000 die. Authors of the study say widespread herbicide use is likely playing a role. “Our results suggest that the use of herbicides could indirectly drive antibiotic resistance evolution in agricultural soil microbiomes, which are repeatedly exposed to herbicides during weed control,” said Ville Friman, PhD of the University of York in the United Kingdom.
Contrary to the pesticide industry’s claim that these chemicals break down quickly and become inert by binding to soil particles, large proportions of the herbicides remained in the soil at the end of the 60-day experiment, stemming back from the first application. For glyphosate 18% remained, glufosinate 21%, and dicamba 34%.
... scientists determined that herbicide exposure triggers evolutionary pressures on bacteria similar to those exposed to antibiotics.
“Interestingly, antibiotic resistance genes were favoured at herbicide concentrations that were not lethal to bacteria,” said Dr. Friman. “This shows that already very low levels of herbicides could significantly change the genetic composition of soil bacterial populations. Such effects are currently missed by ecotoxicological risk assessments, which do not consider evolutionary consequences of prolonged chemical application at the level of microbial communities.”'
The field 'Samples matched up closely to the results of the microcosm experiment:'
filed under glyphosate, dicamba and Health/Antibiotic Resistance
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Implications for Human Health: Chronic Inhalation of Paraquat in Low-Doses Disrupts Sense of Smell
Implications for Human Health: Chronic Inhalation of Paraquat in Low-Doses Disrupts Sense of Smell
SNAP Comment: As of 9 March 3021, the PMRA still lists 3 paraquat labels as being registered in Canada. The commercial product is Gramoxone 200 SL
(Beyond Pesticides, February 18, 2021) 'New research published in the journal Toxicological Sciences finds extended inhalation of the common herbicide paraquat causes male mice to lose some sense of smell, even at low doses. This study highlights the significance of understanding how specific chemical exposure routes can influence disease development. Olfactory (relating to the sense of smell) impairment is a precursory feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD), and studies connect paraquat poisoning to PD risk.'
filed under Health/Nervous System Effects/ Parkinson Disease, Low Dose Effects and Loss of Smell
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
New Mexico Bill Will Protect Children from Toxic Pesticides Where They Learn and Play
New Mexico Bill Will Protect Children from Toxic Pesticides Where They Learn and Play
(Santa Fe, New Mexico, February 11, 2021)—New Mexico State Senator Brenda McKenna introduced the Public Schools Pesticide Management Act (PSPMA) (SB 326) in order to protect school children from exposure to toxic pesticides where they learn and play. The legislation advances ecological pest management, an environmentally healthy way to protect children and the public from weeds and pests, within all schools, classrooms, community parks, and playgrounds in the state.
Under PSPMA, only organic and minimum risk pesticides, the least toxic, yet still-effective products on the market will be allowed. Toxic pesticide use will be permitted only under a defined public health emergency, as determined by a public health official.
filed under bylaws
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Hummingbirds Harmed by Pesticides Killing Off Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators
effects of neonicotinoid imidacloprid
Hummingbirds Harmed by Pesticides Killing Off Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators
(Beyond Pesticides, February 23, 2021) 'Well known for their nectar-fueled hovering flight powered by wings beating over 50 times per second, hummingbirds display unique reactions to toxic pesticides. Research by scientists at the University of Toronto finds that hummingbirds exposed to systemic neonicotinoid insecticides for even a short period of time can disrupt the high-powered metabolism of this important and charismatic animal.
Given their high energy demands and with such razor thin margins for error, neonicotinoids may significantly damage hummingbird’s fitness in the wild.'
filed under wildlife/birds and neonicotinoids
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
In Cahoots with Pesticide Industry, Former U.S. Officials Try to Stop Mexico from Banning Glyphosate, But Fail
(Beyond Pesticides, February 17, 2021) New details are emerging around the pressure campaign Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his administration withstood as the country moved towards banning Bayer/Monsanto’s glyphosate (Roundup) herbicide. According to documents obtained by a Freedom of Information Act request and published in the Guardian, U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) worked in coordination with Bayer/Monsanto and the agrichemical industry umbrella group Croplife America to stop the Mexican government from embracing a precautionary approach to pesticide regulation. While the Trump administration and its collaborators were successful in a similar campaign against Thailand, there are no indications that Mexico will rescind its final decision to ban glyphosate, made at the end of last year.
filed under Industry Shenanigans/Regulatory and legal and glyphosate
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Aggressive Cancer in Sea Lions Linked to Legacy Pesticides and Herpesvirus Precursor, Implications for Human Health
(Beyond Pesticides, February 11, 2021) California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are experiencing high rates of urogenital carcinoma (UGC) cancer incidences from the combined effect of toxic “legacy” pesticides like DDT and the viral infection Otarine herpesvirus-1 (OtHV1), according to a new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science. Previous research documents the role herpesvirus infection, genotype, and organochlorine pesticides play in sea lion cancer development. However, synergism (collaboration) between viral infection and toxic chemical exposure increases cancer development odds.
“This study has implications for human health, as virally associated cancer occurs in humans, and likelihood of cancer development could similarly be increased by exposure to environmental contaminants. Efforts to prevent ecosystem contamination with persistent organic pollutants must be improved to protect both wildlife and human health.”
Filed under Wildlife/Mammals
- Friday, January 22, 2021
Study Finds Link Between Pesticide Exposure and Rare Blood Cancer Predecessor (MGUS)
Study Finds Link Between Pesticide Exposure and Rare Blood Cancer Predecessor (MGUS)
(Beyond Pesticide, January 14, 2021) Long-term exposure to permethrin and legacy organochlorine pesticides (aldrin, dieldrin, and lindane) increase the risk of developing monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a blood disease that likely precedes multiple myeloma (MM)—a type of blood cancer, This study highlights the importance of understanding how pesticide use can increase the risk of latent diseases, which do not readily develop upon initial exposure. Study researchers state, “Our findings provide important insights regarding exposures to specific pesticides that may contribute to the excess of MM among farmers.
The presence of abnormal proteins (monoclonal M protein) in the blood within bone marrow is a characterization of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Although MGUS is benign (non-cancerous) and largely asymptomatic, it can be premalignant or a precursor for cancer development. Annually, one percent of individuals with MGUS will develop cancers like multiple myeloma, lymphoma, or amyloidosis. However, the cancer risk increases in people whose protein levels are abnormally high, which can occur upon repeated exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, like pesticides. Moreover, multiple myeloma is a rare type of blood cancer of the plasma cells, killing nearly 40 percent of 32,270 people it afflicts in the U.S. annually.
filed under cancer/ links between individual pesticides and cancer.
- Friday, January 22, 2021
Genetically Weakened Skin Barrier Allows for Easier Absorption of Toxic Chemicals
Genetically Weakened Skin Barrier Allows for Easier Absorption of Toxic Chemicals
Genetically Weakened Skin Barrier Allows for Easier Absorption of Toxic Chemicals (Beyond Pesticides, January 21, 2021) (I)ndividuals with genetically weakened skin barrier protection experience higher rates of toxic chemicals (i.e., pesticides) absorption through the skin. Studies provide evidence that filaggrin genetic mutations can exacerbate the impacts of chemicals upon dermal (skin) exposure, causing various skin diseases like dermatitis and other chemical-related effects like asthma and cancer. Filaggrin is a protein that is critical to skin cell structure or epidermal homeostasis. Dermal exposure is the most common pesticide exposure routes, compromising 95 percent of all pesticide exposure incidents. Furthermore, many pesticides contain chemicals that act as sensitizers (allergens). Therefore, it is essential to mitigate direct skin contact with these toxic chemicals and enforce proper application protocol. Researchers find that pesticide levels are two times higher in individuals with FLG null mutations. Therefore, increased chemical absorption can have implications for human health. FLG null mutations are relatively common, especially among people of European descent.
- Friday, January 22, 2021
Ethanol Plant Processing Pesticide Coated Seeds Contaminates Nebraska Town
seeds treated with neonicotinoids
Ethanol Plant Processing Pesticide Coated Seeds Contaminates Nebraska Town
US info. (Beyond Pesticides, January 13, 2021) Under FIFRA (the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act), a clause known as the “treated article exemption” permits seeds to be coated with highly toxic pesticides without any requirement for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess environmental or public health effects of their use.This allows hazardous pesticides (primarily insecticides and fungicides) to be used indiscriminately with no effective oversight. Research finds that over 150 million acres of farmland are planted with toxic seeds, including nearly four tons of bee-killing neonicotinoids each year.
The AltEn plant is unique in that it is accepting unused treated seeds for farmers, advertising the site as a “recycling” facility, according to The Guardian. Apart from biofuel production, ethanol plants usually sell their spent, fermented grains to livestock farmers for feed. Processing toxic seeds has made that product too hazardous for cattle, so AltEn has been selling it to farmers as a soil amendment.
The neonicotinoid clothianidin was found in a waste mound at an astounding 427,000 parts per billion (ppb). A wastewater storage pond found high levels of three neonicotinoids – imidacloprid, cloathianidin, and thimethoxam. Thiamethoxam was discovered at 24,000 ppb, over 300 times higher than its acceptable level in drinking water (70ppb), and roughly 1,300 times higher than the level considered safe for aquatic organisms by EPA (17.5ppb).
Expectedly, pollinators near the plant are dying off. Judy Wu-Smart, PhD, bee researcher at University of Nebraska documented a sustained collapse of every beehive used by the university for a research project on a farm within a mile of the AltEn plant.
SNAP Comment: SK apparently has two ethanol plants with several more in Canada. I hope we donot make the same mistake under the idea of recycling. Why not? Because we did it about treated wood, allowing it to be used or burnt in an unsafe manner under the guise of 'recycling" and 'reusing.' Let's face it,some products are just too toxic for tha
filed under neonicotinoids and safety
- Friday, January 22, 2021
EPA Confirms Widespread PFAS Contamination of Pesticides, Announces “Investigation,” Stops Short of Action to Protect Public
(Beyond Pesticides, January 20, 2021) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that PFAS (per and polyfluorinated alykyl substances) ‘forever chemicals’ are contaminating containers that store pesticide products, and subsequently the products themselves.
According to EPA, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers used to store and transport pesticides are commonly treated with fluoride in order to create a “chemical barrier” that will “prevent changes in chemical composition.” The fluorinated container is supposed to be more stable, and “less permeable, reactive, and dissolvable.”
Testing so far has been limited to one pesticide product supplier (likely the company Clarke, maker of Anvil 10+10), but resulted in detection of 9 different PFAS chemicals at levels the agency has not yet released. Earlier testing found PFAS chemicals well above safety limits established by states, as well as EPA’s health advisory. There are also indications that fluorinated HDPE containers may have other storage uses, such as food packaging. EPA announced that it is subpoenaing the company that fluorinates HDPE containers under the Toxic Substances Control Act, but has done little else from a regulatory standpoint. Contamination of widely used storage and transportation containers with chemicals that have been linked to cancer, liver damage, birth and developmental problems, reduced fertility, and asthma is a scandal without compare. It is unclear how long such a practice has been commonplace without any regulatory oversight.
filed under Formulants/Inerts and Contaminants/ Contaminants
- Friday, January 22, 2021
Alternatives to CCA-Treated Wood
Alternatives to CCA-Treated Wood (PANNA Green Resource Center)
'Pressure-treated lumber is used in applications where decay and insect damage are of concern, such as for playground equipment, decks, telephone poles, building foundations, picnic tables, landscaping ties, wharfs, retaining walls, and fence posts. Preservative treatment chemicals make the wood inedible for fungi, insects, and other organisms that can destroy wood. Until its use for residential applications was voluntarily restricted by industry in January 2004, copper chromated arsenate (CCA) was the most common wood preservation treatment that a typical homeowner would encounter.' (same timeline in Canada)
Rubbing a cloth on the CCA treated wood in a playground collected toxic levels of arsenic and chromium.
When arsenic treated wood is new, it tends to have a greenish tint. When CCA wood is older, it is harder to tell.
filed under treated wood/CCA
- Sunday, January 10, 2021
Pesticides and Road Salt: A Toxic Mixture for Aquatic Communities
Pesticides and Road Salt: A Toxic Mixture for Aquatic Communities
(Beyond Pesticides, January 7, 2021) Insecticides and road salts adversely interact to alter aquatic ecosystems, reducing organism abundance and size, according to a study in the journal Environmental Pollution. Pesticide use is ubiquitous, and contamination in rivers and streams is historically commonplace, containing at least one or more different chemicals.
Researchers performed a toxicity evaluation of six insecticides from three chemical classes (neonicotinoids: thiamethoxam, imidacloprid; organophosphates: chlorpyrifos, malathion; pyrethroids: cypermethrin, permethrin). Additionally, researchers note the potentially interactive effects of these insecticides with three concentrations of road salt (NaCl). Researchers find that differing pesticide classes directly impact aquatic communities, and exposure to insecticides indirectly alters the food web in freshwater communities. Although pesticides and road salts individually impact aquatic communities, this study is the first to demonstrate their interactive effects.
filed under wildlife/aquatic organisms
- Sunday, January 10, 2021
In support of the city of Prince Albert purchasing a Thermal Weed Control machine
SNAP letter in support of Parks Manager Tim Yeaman's proposal to buy a Thermal Weed Control option to diminish pesticide use in the city.
In support of the city of Prince Albert purchasing a Thermal Weed Control machine
filed under publications
- Sunday, January 10, 2021
Long-Term Roundup Exposure Found to Harm Keystone Wildlife Species
Long-Term Roundup Exposure Found to Harm Keystone Wildlife Species
(Beyond Pesticides, January 6, 2021) “The problem is that much of the evidence is rooted in outdated toxicity tests which only look at the number of animals that die on exposure to extremely high concentrations of these chemicals,” Dr. Orsini said. “These tests also overlook the pathological effects arising from long-term exposure to low doses. What we’re proposing is that toxicity is measured by looking at what happens to the animal at a molecular and fitness level following long-term exposure, which encompasses the entire animal life cycle.”
Changes in fitness were seen for every trait except mortality. Roundup delayed average age of sexual/reproductive maturity, reduced size at maturity, decreased the total number of offspring produced, and increased developmental failure – as determined by the number of aborted eggs, and juveniles borne dead.. Researchers also observed damage to DNA, with glyphosate and Roundup showing only slight differences in affected pathways Roundup and glyphosate were also found to indirectly alter both the makeup and total number of microbiota in the water flea’s gut. These changes were correlated with alterations to the way fat and carbon are metabolized, as well as the animal’s detoxification pathways.
filed under glyphosate and wildlife/aquatic organisms
- Sunday, January 10, 2021
Federal Court Blocks EPA from Weakening Farmworker Protections
US story.
Federal Court Blocks EPA from Weakening Farmworker Protections
(Beyond Pesticides, January 5, 2021) 'In the waning days of 2020, a federal court provided a hint of hope that farmworkers will retain basic buffer zone protections from toxic pesticides. The District Court for the Southern District of New York issued in late December a temporary restraining order against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prohibiting the agency from implementing industry-friendly rules that weaken application exclusion zones (AEZs) for farmworkers.'
SNAP COMMENT: The work is never done...
filed under Legislation/Regulatory/ USA
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Chemicals to Avoid: Groundbreaking Database of Illnesses from Pesticide Exposure Launched
Chemicals to Avoid: Groundbreaking Database of Illnesses from Pesticide Exposure Launched
(Beyond Pesticides, December 11, 2020) The national environmental and public health group Beyond Pesticides announced today the updating of its Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database (PIDD), including over 1,100 study entries, with a relational search feature to address the complex pervasiveness of adverse health effects of pesticides
filed under pesticides and health
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
The global distribution of acute unintentional pesticide poisoning: estimations based on a systematic review
385 million farmers and farmworkers are poisoned every year around the world.
The global distribution of acute unintentional pesticide poisoning: estimations based on a systematic review {Wolfgang Boedeker et al, BMC Public Health volume 20, Article number: 1875 (2020), 7 December 2020)
'A recent systematic review of unintentional acute pesticide poisonings found that an estimated 385 million farmers and farmworkers are poisoned every year around the world. That’s about 44% of the global population of 860 million people working in agriculture. Fatalities were also estimated, and found to be around 11,000 annually. This is the first global estimate of unintentional pesticide poisonings done since 1990.'
filed under Pesticide Poisoning
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
The Lynchpin of Industrial Ag
Pesticides are the lynchpin of an unsustainable industrial agriculture system.
The Lynchpin of Industrial Ag (PANNA, The Pesticide Problem, Pesticides:The Big Picture) 'Pesticides are the lynchpin of an unsustainable industrial agriculture system.
This model of farming is inefficient and does not represent the cutting edge of modern farming. In 1940, we produced 2.3 food calories for every fossil fuel calorie used. By industrializing our food and farming systems, we now get a single food calorie for every 10 fossil fuel calories used — a 23-fold reduction in efficiency.'
filed under Pesticide Use
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
New Test Will Help Researchers Understand Pesticide Threats to Wild Bat Populations
New Test Will Help Researchers Understand Pesticide Threats to Wild Bat Populations
(Beyond Pesticides, December 10, 2020) 'A new test developed by a team of Mexican and Canadian scientists will help field researchers detect early warning signs of pesticide exposure in wild bat populations.
The test in question is referred to as a micronucleus test. Although it does not measure the level of pesticide contaminating a bat’s body, it can assess genotoxicity (the effect of pesticides and other chemical agents that damage genetic information in a cell). This is done by taking blood samples of bats, and testing for the presence of micronuclei formation, which are materials in blood that contain damaged chromosomes not incorporated into a cell after cell division.
What little research that has been conducted on the harm pesticides cause to bats shows significant cause for concern. Agricultural pesticide use results in a large proportion of a bat’s insect diet being contaminated with highly toxic chemicals. Bats are particularly sensitive to pesticides that bioconcentrate in fat (lipophilic pesticides); they develop large stores to use while migrating or hibernating, and high concentrations of toxic pesticides in this fat can result in significant poisoning as the body burns it off. Despite the unique ways in which pesticides harm bats, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not evaluate a pesticide’s effect on bats prior to registration. Because bats are unusually long-lived for animals their size — lifespans range from 20 to 40 years — their bodies can accumulate pesticide residues over a long period, exacerbating adverse effects associated with those pesticides that can accumulate in fatty tissue.' A bat's 'consumption of large volumes of pesticide-contaminated insects can mean that these compounds may reach toxic levels in their brains — making them more susceptible to White Nose Syndrome.'.
ffiled under wildlife/mammals and monitoring pesticides
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Video: Seed Keepers and Truth Tellers (PANNA)
From the Frontlines of GM Agriculture.
Video: Seed Keepers and Truth Tellers (PANNA)
Seedkeepers and Truth Tellers From the Frontlines of GM Agriculture. You can find more information regarding the video and contributors at the video's home site, seedsandtruth.com.
filed under gmos
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
What’s Bad for Bees Could Be Bad for Marine Life, Too
The neonicotinoid imidacloprid hampers arthropods in the ocean.
What’s Bad for Bees Could Be Bad for Marine Life, Too Preliminary research shows that a popular insecticide hampers arthropods in the ocean. (by Ramin Skibba, PANNA, May 4, 2020)
'They found that coral exposed to the insecticide had reduced polyp activity—an indication of increased stress. Shrimplike amphipods were affected, too. Even at low doses, imidacloprid exposure inhibited their movement. And for some, high levels of exposure were fatal.
Hladik says most of the concentrations of neonics tested in Davis’s experiment were unrealistically high—beyond what is seen in the wild. But even low doses, she adds, could still be a hazard for marine life.'
filed under neonicotinoids and wildlife/ aquatic organisms
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Investigation on Weed Killer Dicamba Adds to Pattern of Corporate Deception on Pesticide Hazards
Investigation on Weed Killer Dicamba Adds to Pattern of Corporate Deception on Pesticide Hazards
(Beyond Pesticides, December 18, 2020) 'The Midwest Center’s investigation finds that Monsanto and BASF, makers of the extremely problematic herbicide dicamba, engaged in a variety of deceitful, unethical, and possibly fraudulent practices to enable its use. The bottom line is that the companies knew, before they released dicamba, about the massive damage it would cause — and then put it on the market.'
filed under Industry Shenanigans
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Flying Blind in Weed Control
Flying Blind in Weed Control (by Margaret Wilson, Rodale Press, 10 December 2020)
'Learn from the experts at Rodale Institute why blind cultivation may be the answer to getting ahead of weeds on your farm.'
filed under Weeds
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Winter House Guests
how to deal with them naturally
Winter House Guests (NCAP)
includes rodents, seed bugs, ladybugs, and natural pest repellents.
filed under Alternatives