Exposure to Pesticides

 Also see Household pesticide use, pesticide poisonings, body burdens, children, food, and health sections, including Skin, reproductive health, cancer/ links, respiratory, nervous system, as well as human rights, soils and pesticide drift 

SOS Bedroom: dozens of endocrine disrupting, neurotoxic and carcinogenic pesticides found in Flemish bedrooms (PAN Europe, October 23, 2024)    'From these, 112 locations were selected to analyse bedroom dust. “The results are staggering. In total, we found 137 different pesticides. An average of 21 per bedroom. In one bedroom we even found 52 pesticides.” says Gommers.    Pesticides enter with the dust in our bedroom in a variety of ways. “We distinguish three major categories: through use by a neighbouring farmer, through the treatment of pets against parasites (fleas, ticks) and through all kinds of uses (mosquito plugs, ant bait boxes) and applications (preservatives in clothing, bedding and other items) indoors.” In Velt’s research, it can be concluded that 70 percent of found pesticide residues are attributable to use by a nearby farmer.'    The article also refers to policy changes needed and previous studies.

Pesticides are a hurdle to environmental justice link to the original paper. (PANNA, 29 March 2023)  US study.    'The paper reviewed data on 31 pesticide manufacturing facilities that were in “significant violation” of environmental laws (including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), and compared them to state averages. The findings? Pesticide manufacturing facilities in the U.S. that violate environmental laws are disproportionately located in low-income communities.    Two groups – Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic Black people – tend to have higher average urinary and blood levels of several pesticides.       Another key highlight from the paper is the difference between risk assessments for different populations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluates pesticides using one risk assessment approach for the general population, who are exposed via diet (food, water) and residential use. But for farmworkers and other workers exposed to pesticides occupationally, EPA uses a cost-benefit approach.   SNAP Comment: It has been a known observation for a long time that dangerous manufacturing is located in 'poor' areas. In the US these are most often people of color. This pattern also covers oil and gas as well as other toxins. As for pesticide exposure at work, most US agricultural workers tend to be temporary workers from Mexico and Latin America.

Pesticide residues in food   (WHO,15 September 2022)    SNAP Ccomments: Apparently, WHO promoted this as a pesticide residue fact sheet. It doesn't do more than state WHO's role. Like mos tthings form the United Nations, in order to get a conensus, statements are usually watered down... Certainly does not give any data on individual residue limits or theri  process to establish them.

Pesticides plague Californians of color, new study shows ( Shannon Kelleher, The New Lede, 15 Sept. 2022)     'Ventura County (California) is known for its year-round production of roughly $2 billion worth of fruits and vegetables that feed people throughout the US and more than 70 other countries. Strawberries are the top crop, but workers also produce peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, avocados, and more.   The study found that 17.1 million pounds of pesticides, or an average of 5.7 million pounds per year, were sprayed in Ventura County from 2016 to 2018. The pesticides used included more than 60 types known to be carcinogenic and 74 types linked to endocrine disruption. Another 85 pesticides used in the county were linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity.   Notably, the study found that township sections where people of color were the majority had not just the most pesticide use, but also the most toxic pesticide use. More than half of the population in these areas was Latino or Hispanic. In contrast, areas that were relatively free of pesticides were overwhelmingly white communities.   “The strongest association we have seen between pesticide exposure during pregnancy and effects on children’s brains are with cognition, so like IQ and attention, ADHD,” said Gunier. “We have also looked at respiratory health, like asthma and lung function. For that, we actually see stronger associations with exposure during their childhood.”     As Harari began researching risk factors for advanced thyroid cancer at UCLA, she noticed that a lot of her referrals were coming from Bakersfield in Kern County– one of the top agricultural counties in the U.S. In a recent case-control study using thyroid cancer cases from the California Cancer Registry, Harari and colleagues found that 10 of the 29 pesticides they analyzed were associated with thyroid cancer.'

Scientific Literature Review Again Connects Pesticides and Male Fertility Problems    Literature review. (Beyond Pesticides, August 3, 2022) A systematic review of scientific studies on pesticides and fertility finds exposure associated with lower semen quality, DNA fragmentation, and chromosomal abnormalities. Published in the journal Andrology, the review is yet another warning from a long string of researchers sounding the alarm over the connection between global fertility and toxic chemical exposure.  Organochlorines (OCs), organophosphates (OPs), pyrethroids were all linked to effects. Beyond these three classes, scientists did find evidence of negative associations with carbamate class insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, but the low number of studies does not allow for extensive analysis. Mixtures of various pesticides are cited as having similar effects to the three main pesticide classes investigated though firm results were difficult to specify due to lack of complete information. In general, occupationally exposed workers are most at risk, with chronic exposure being associated with greater sperm defects.

Study Finds Chemical Exposure Increasing among Pregnant Women   (Beyond Pesticides, May 11, 2022) U.S. study. 'Pregnant women are being exposed to increasing amounts of dangerous industrial chemicals, according to research published this week in Environmental Science and Technology. The chemicals in question include pesticides, plastics, and parabens, as well as ‘replacement chemicals’ for substances like phthalates and bisphenols that have gained notoriety for risks to public health.  Of the 103 chemicals reviewed, over 80% is detected in at least one woman enrolled in the research. One third of the compounds is found in over 50% of women. In particular, the study finds that many women have levels of neonicotinoid insecticides in their urine...a range of data over the last decade has pointed to concerning impacts on human development from prenatal exposure. Peer-reviewed studies have linked these exposures to autism like symptoms, birth defects in the heart, and birth defects in the brain, per a review by the Natural Resources Defense Council.   Body burden of these hazardous chemicals are disproportionate between women of different races and backgrounds. Higher exposure amounts is seen in non-white women, those with less education, and pregnant women who are single. Researchers also note that Latinas encountered higher levels of parabens, bisphenols, and phthalates... These data line up with recent research showing that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) communities are exposed to pesticides at disproportionately higher rates than other communities. '

Pesticides Used in Farmed Fish Operations Threaten Health of Swimmers   (Beyond Pesticides, May 6, 2022) A December 2021 report commissioned by the trade group Salmon Scotland concludes that the use of pesticide products by the nation’s salmon farms represents potential risk to “wild” swimmers (those who swim in open ocean waters). The report’s primary finding is that the use of insecticide products containing azamethiphos (an organophosphate), deltamethrin, and hydrogen peroxide to control sea lice in farmed fish contaminates sea water and, thus, threatens swimmers in the areas around the farms.  SNAP Comment; The David Suzuki Foundation has been fighting fish farms because of their sea lice contamination of wild salmon stock for a long time. I have not heard many discussions of water contamination from the pesticides used to treat sea lice but it cannot help but creating contamination. As of June 2022, the PMRA lists 2 azamethiphos insecticides (one for fish farms), 17 deltamethrin and 33 hydrogen peroxide insecticides registered. I don't know if anyone swims around fish farms in Canada but it is good to know as it likely affects the whole ecosystem.

New Commercial Pesticide Toxicity Analysis Highlights Need to Shift to Organic Products   US study based on products available to consumers at Lowe's and Home Depot. (Beyond Pesticides, May 20, 2021) Beyond Pesticides and Friends of the Earth (FOE) collaborated to analyze herbicide products at two of the most popular home and garden retailers, Home Depot and Lowe’s. This new Commercial Herbicide Analysis highlights the adverse health and environmental effects of widely available toxic pesticides while encouraging retailers to expand on—and consumers to use—safer, least/non-toxic pesticide products. The analysis...reveals that approximately half of all Home Depot herbicide products (24 of 51) and Lowe’s herbicide products (23 of 40) contain ingredients considered Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HPPs). The following active ingredients pose the most harm to human, animal, and ecosystem health, including cancer, reproductive harm, neurotoxicity, and hormone (endocrine) disruption: glyphosate, 2,4-D, dicamba, mecoprop, and pendimethalin. Of these five chemicals, all but dicamba are classifiable as HHPs'.View the analysis   SNAP Comment: 2,4-D, dicamba and mecoprop are generally used in combination in common herbicide formulas. 17 2,4-D, 16 mecoprop, 15 dicamba and 36 glyphosate products are registered for domestic use in Canada as of 30 May 2021. Pendimethalin is not registered in Canada.

Outrage as regulators let pesticides from factory pollute US town for yearsContamination from an ethanol plant in Mead, Nebraska, came from some of the world’s largest agricultural companies   (The Guardian, Carey Gillam, 29 May 2021)  Nebraska story.  SNAP Comment: SNAP Comment: I sure hope that the new canola crushing plants in Regina, apparenlty for oil (some for diesel replacement) production, will not accept treated seeds In any case, .the increase in canola porduction will undoubtedly bring an increase in pesticide use.   'The state attorney general’s office then sued the company for multiple alleged environmental violations, citing “an ongoing threat to the environment”, and late last month Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill restricting the use of pesticide-treated seeds for ethanol production.    Fish die-offs are reported miles downstream from the plant. University researchers have reported the decimation of dozens of honeybee colonies, and state officials have received reports of sick and dying geese and other birds, as well as disoriented dogs and unexplained ailments in people.   Regulators said they have found unsafe pesticide levels in a farm pond, and water used for drinking and for irrigating crops is also feared contaminated, according to records within the Nebraska department of environment and energy (NDEE). Pesticide residues have been detected in soil samples taken from an area park.   AltEn advertised itself as a “green recycling” location where agricultural companies could dispose of unwanted supplies of these pesticide-treated seeds. Bayer AG, which owns Monsanto, along with Syngenta, Corteva, and other large companies, were among those dumping seeds coated with an array of insecticides and fungicides at AltEn, according to AltEn marketing materials.  The situation is but the latest example of how industrial agricultural practices can create hazards dangerous to human and environmental health, according to Blood, who grew up on a farm in Hastings, Nebraska, and suspects cancers developed by many Hastings residents were linked to chemicals in the soil and water. The area was designated a federal superfund site because of the contamination.'

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.

New French study finds 32 toxic pesticides in the air (Connexion, 5 July 2020)    'In total, the study found 75 substances in the air, including 32 judged to be “a priority” due to their danger and toxicity.    Despite being banned since 1998, lindane was found in 80% of the samples collected (rising to 90% in urban areas).     The study has also been criticised for failing to account for seasonal variations and local differences. For example, the average presence of folpel is at 3 ng/m3 in a vineyard area, but this can soar to 100 ng/m3 in the weeks of treatment during June and September.   Similar variations can be seen for the use of prosulfocarb and major field crops from October to December, and from April to June.'   SNAP Comment: most pesticides evaporate during application as well as for several days or weeks after. Whatever is found in the air will represent what is used in an area, although some are carried long distances.

Washington Farmworkers Harmed by Pesticides Walk Out, Demand Justice   (Beyond Pesticides, March 12, 2020) Farmworkers walked out of an orchard in Sunnyside, Washington on Friday, March 6 to demand improved working conditions. Over a dozen individuals cited unacceptable issues, such as toxic pesticide exposure, unfair wages, and lack of paid breaks. Their employer, Evans Fruit, owns and farms over 8,000 acres in the state. These workers represent the ongoing fight against injustice perpetuated by the chemical-intensive agriculture industry. Evans Fruit workers said the company gives insufficient protective gear and training before requiring workers to spray pesticides for most of their 12 to 15-hour workdays.   SNAP Comment: I guess these points may be related to why it is so hard to keep North Americans doing farm jobs.... Will Canada be able to bring in the foreign agricultural workers needed on our farms this year?

Mosquito fumigation may have caused mystery 'Havana syndrome', study says   Trump administration had charged that cognitive ailments of Canadian and US diplomats were caused by use of a secret weapon (BBC News, 20 September 2019)   'The patterns of brain injury "all raise the hypothesis of recurrent, low-dose exposure to neurotoxins", the report said. Specifically, the results were "highly suggestive" of something called cholinesterase inhibitor intoxication...The study notes that tests carried out on 28 participants - seven of whom were tested both before and after being posted to Havana - support a diagnosis of brain injury acquired by diplomats and their families while in Cuba.'  Unnamed pesticide in the story, likely an organophosphate because of the mode of action. I would like to add that this is not the first time people get sick from fumigation oversees. Many tourists came back from Cuba with neurological symptoms related to mosquito fumigation which apparently occurred nightly in touristy areas. Other tourists sickened and some died when hotel rooms or other accommodations have been fumigated. In many tourist destinations, the fact is that there are still many more acutely toxic pesticides registered, and very little oversight. Not that we have much oversight here in SK, with 1 PMRA and 1 provincial inspectors for 33-36% of Canadian pesticide applications...And more coverage by the Guardian- no new information. 

Study Documents Playgrounds Contaminated with Pesticides from Neighboring Chemical-Intensive Ag Land  (Beyond Pesticides, June 7, 2019)

'45% are contaminated with a single pesticide, and 24% by more than one. Study authors note that the playground contamination will likely grow worse over the course of the growing season.'   'The compounds found across the four study sites were the pesticides phosmet, imidacloprid,chlorpyrifos-methyl, methoxyfenozide, and cypermethrin; fungicides fluazinam, dodine, difenoconazole, penconazole, tetraconazole, and penthiopyrad; and the herbicide oxadiazon. Among those, only dodine has no association with endocrine function. Cypermethrin, oxadiazon and tetraconazole are confirmed endocrine disruptors; chlorpyrifos-methyl, fluazinam, penthiopyrad, and methoxyfenozide are suspected endocrine disruptors; and difenoconazole, imidacloprid, penconazole, and phosmet are endocrine-active substacomment: nces, or potential endocrine disruptors.  SNAP Comment: PMRA registrations as of 7 June 2019: 3 phosmet labels, 96 imidacloprid, 28 chlorpyrifos, 2 methoxyfenozide, and 9 cypermethrin; 4 fluazinam, 3 dodine, 29 difenoconazole, 0 penconazole, 5 tetraconazole, 6 penthiopyrad; and 2 oxadiazon. Seems like we have the same problem here. Many small towns are surrounded by sprayed crops.

Study Finds High Levels of Pesticide Exposure among Teenage Girls in California’s Salinas Valley  (Beyond Pesticides, April 26, 2019) 'Ranking the highest for prevalence among the studied pesticides is fipronil sulfide, a breakdown product of the insecticide fipronil, detected in 86.6% of the analyzed wristbands. Fipronil is a known endocrine disruptor and has been shown to disrupt thyroid function...perhaps most concerning is the degree to which discontinued pesticides – including some that have been out of use for nearly five decades – are still detected at high frequency.''The COSECHA study quantifies exposure to 72 pesticides, captured through volatile-trapping silicone wristbands, across 97 teenage girls living in various areas of the Salinas Valley region. Of the 72 pesticides analyzed, authors report that subjects are exposed to as many as 20 and an average of 8 pesticides over one week of routine indoor and outdoor activity. Given the well-documented dangers of pesticide co-exposures, these multiple-exposure findings are particularly concerning.'

Organic diet intervention significantly reduces urinary pesticide levels in U.S. children and adults   (Environmental Research, Volume 171, April 2019, Pages 568-575)   An organic diet was associated with significant reductions in urinary excretion of several pesticide metabolites and parent compounds. This study adds to a growing body of literature indicating that an organic diet may reduce exposure to a range of pesticides in children and adults. Additional research is needed to evaluate dietary exposure to neonicotinoids, which are now the most widely used class of insecticides in the world.

The herbicide glyphosate persists in wild, edible plants: B.C. study (RANDY SHORE, Vancouver Sun, February 20, 2019)  'Wood found unexpected levels of glyphosate in new shoots and berries of plants that survived an aerial herbicide application made one year earlier... The 10 species tested were selected for their importance as traditional-use plants, because some First Nations had expressed concerns about the long-term effects of glyphosate on wild plants, said Wood...Glyphosate is typically broken down in soil by microorganisms over a period of months, but how long it persists in living plant tissues is unknown, she said.'

Glyphosate and other toxins in throw away diapers. Du glyphosate et des substances chimiques dangereuses dans les couches jetables pour bébés. Une expertise inédite de l’Anses conclut à un risque pour la santé des enfants. Le gouvernement demande aux fabricants d’éliminer ces produits.(by Stéphane Mandard. Le Monde, le 22 janvier 2019)   Le Monde is an important paper from France. For those who don't speak French, glyphosate was one of over 60 toxic substances identified in throw away diapers. There were also several other pesticides, some which have been banned 15 years ago (lindane, quintozène, hexachlorobenzène).Throw away diapers also contained many problematic fragrances, PCBs and VOC (volatile organic compoinds) such as (naphtalène, styrène, toluène, etc.) (By the way, naphthalene is also an insecticide found in mothballs).

Study of Rural New York State Homes Finds Pesticides in Every Sample Tested  (Beyond Pesticides, October 18, 2018)   'Researchers focused in on 132 households in rural counties of New York State that agreed to test for pesticide residue inside their home. Wipe samples were collected from both carpeted and non-carpeted areas, and tested for pesticides used commonly as part of agricultural production in the region. The pesticides analyzed included 15 compounds ranging from organophosphates like chlorpyrifos and malathion, to synthetic pyrethroids like resmethrin, the triazine herbicide atrazine, and the widely used herbicide 2,4-D...Every single compound tested for was discovered in every home examined.' SNAP COMMENT: Pesticides are easily tracked indoors and, once there, they hardly break down. If anyone had the interest and money to repeat the test in SK, they would likely find the same results for whatever products are used in our area. However, SK has no current pesticide sales or use database, which makes it hard to know what to test for. Recently, researchers have been using the Manitoba pesticide data as a surrogate. 

Military Base Has Legacy of Pesticide and Other Toxic Chemical Exposure and Harm  (Beyond Pesticides, September 19, 2018) “‘Don’t get pregnant at George Air Force Base’” was the advice imparted from one female Air Force member to another in 1975 at that base...Among the many contaminants found at George AFB and other military sites are organochlorine-based pesticides (OCPs), such as DDT, dieldrin/aldrin, heptachlor, lindane, endrin, chlordane,mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorobenzene, chlordane, and others. (all those listed are insecticides)  SNAP Comment: I don't know if Canadian military bases ever used as many chemicals as some US ones, but there has certainly been use of Agent Orange, Agent Purple and other military herbicides at CFB Gagetown. (archived document from National Defense and the Canadian Armed Forces). Trichloroethylene (TCE), a common industrial solvent, had seeped into the underground water table from the adjacent Canadian Forces Base Valcartier. (What made Shannon so sick? Solvent in water table: 'Don't drink it, don't bathe in it, don't breathe it,' health officials warned. Charlie Fidelman, Montreal Gazette) There is likely more if one searches. 

Common Bug Killers Used in Homes Persist for Over a Year  (Beyond Pesticides, July 7, 2017) The active ingredients in commonly used bug sprays such as RAID leave significant residues that persist for over a year in the home, according to a study published by Brazilian researchers in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. The pesticides tested, synthetic pyrethroids, have been linked to a range of health effects, most notably in children. In the recent study, researchers compared the breakdown time of two synthetic pyrethroids, cypermethrin and beta-cyfluthrin, between laboratory conditions and those in an average home. Under lab conditions, with temperature controlled and without sunlight or ventilation, both active ingredients broke down little within the 112 day test period observed. However, the test house, where insecticides were applied according to indoor label conditions, displayed breakdown times similar to the lab results during the first 112 days. Researchers continued their observation of pyrethroids in the home for up to a year, finding after that period 44% of beta-cyfluthrin and 70% cypermethrin remained in household dust samples from the singular, original application.

Study Reveals Extent of Pesticide Contamination in Medical Marijuana (Beyond Pesticides, November 2, 2016) The results reveal that 84% of samples tested positive for pesticide residues...This data is significant in that it looks specifically at the medical marijuana market and the impact pesticide-contaminated marijuana may have on medical marijuana consumers, who are often individuals suffering from chronic disease or illness. In its analysis, Steep Hill found residue of the chemical myclobutanil, a key ingredient in pesticide Eagle 20, in more than 65 percent of samples tested during a 30-day period. Eagle 20, a fungicide, has not been approved for use on marijuana, and its active ingredient myclobutanil is an endocrine (hormone) disruptor classified as “toxic” by Beyond Pesticides. Myclobutanil is also listed as a reproductive toxicant in the California Environmental Protection Agency Proposition 65.

New evidence of pesticides in Calgary air, soil (Bridget Brown, CTV Calgary, June 10, 2015}  An environmental testing facility has found pesticides that are expected to dissipate in a matter of days persisting in Calgary’s soil and air for months after lawn and garden season has ended...In Calgary soil, Paracel found the pesticides 2,4D and Dicamba. Both are used to control weeds by the City of Calgary, golf courses and lawn care companies. The amount of Dicamba exceeded provincially regulated safe levels. In the air, the scientists found 2,4D, as well as Atrazine, which is an herbicide used by farmers. SNAP NOTE: Pesticides don't just disappear after applied as inferred by this article. A part evaporates, another degrades to other chemicals, some of which being more toxic or lasting longer in the environment. They get carried by water, soil particies,rain and wind, circle the earth and concentrate in winter cold areas like mountain ecosystems and the Arctic where they fall with the snow.

Fish from Alaskan Wilderness Contaminated with Banned Pesticides (Beyond Pesticides, April 15, 2014)  "Alaskan fish were more likely to have traces of older chemicals, while those in the lower 48 tended to be dominated by newer chemicals. The most commonly detected chemicals are PCBs, endosulfan, sulfate and p,p’-DDE, a breakdown product of DDT. Some of these long-banned chemicals actually exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) guidelines for human subsistence on fish and wildlife."

Glyphosate Testing Full Report: Findings in American Mothers’ Breast Milk, Urine and Water. Interesting. Glyphosate (RoundUp) contamination in the US, in spite of most participants purchasing non-gmo or organic food. Apparenty breast milk contamination indicates the potential to bioaccumulate. Worth reading.(April 7, 2014) 

Hormone-disrupting chemicals found in water at fracking sites
(www.latimes.com, Dec. 16, 2014) Water samples collected at Colorado sites where hydraulic fracturing was used to extract natural gas show the presence of chemicals that have been linked to infertility, birth defects and cancer, scientists reported Monday. These are secret chemicals exempt from Safe Water Drinking Act, a number of which are pesticides or biocides of some kind to preserve the quality of the petrochemicals. Out of 700 potential fracking chemicals tested, 100 are endocrine-disrupting...

Nanosilver Migrates Out of Fabric in Study (Beyond Pesticides, May 3, 2010. Posted in Nanotechnology)  This study raises concerns about human exposure to nanosilver through skin absorption. “Silver nanoparticles (or nanosilver) are now widely impregnated into a wide range of consumer products, including textiles such as socks, sportswear, underwear and bedding, vacuums, washing machines, toys, sunscreens, and a host of others.” Current regulations fail to guarantee consumers that these new technologies are safe to use. Silver nanoparticles meet the definition of a pesticide and should and must be regulated by the EPA as a pesticide but is not registered as a pesticide. However EPA has done little to regulate or evaluate the potential health and environmental impacts these particles may cause. NOTE: A PMRA label search (Oct. 2012) shows no silver or silver nanoparticle products registered as pesticides either.

Northern Exposure Acute Pesticide Poisonings in Canada by the David Suzuki Foundation. (2007)   322 Sask residents are acutely poisoned every year.

• DSF-SNAP Media release – Saskatchewan
• Globe and Mail article: Pesticides poison 6000 Cdns per year    
• Group wants to weed out pesticide use in Sask.- Regina Leader Post
• More on the David Suzuki Foundation and pesticides 

 Pyrethroid pesticides found in homes and daycare centers. November 3, 2008

Report Finds Toxic Pesticide Combustion in Grass Seed Production   (Beyond Pesticides, March 30, 2009)  In Saskatchewan, burning crop stubble is still common practice. In spite of extensive medical evidence of health problems identified by at least one Commission studying the problem in the past, burning is still common place. While the number and frequency of pesticide used may not be as high as it is in grass seed production, I am certain that pesticide residues are attached to the stubble burning smoke. Not only is the smoke an issue in itself, the negative healh effects are worsened when it contains pesticides.