Subject: Pesticide info

From: [email-masked] (Ken Toews)
Date: Mon, 15 May 1995 18:23:10 GMT

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     There have been over 200 independent studies that link 2,4-D
with various diseases. 2,4-D is found in 1,500 over the counter
weed killers.  The National Cancer Institute has linked pesticide
exposures to lymphatic cancers. Their study was based on 948
farmers who had cancer and an equal number who did not. Exposed
individuals were 600% more likely to contract cancer than people
who did not contact the pesticide. Farmers who used protective
equipment, such as respirators, gloves, and a change of clothing
after contact were able to reduce the risk by only 20%.
     Hazleton laboratories found that 10% of rats exposed to 2,4-D
developed brain tumours. 2,4-D is contaminated with dioxins during
manufacture. Dioxins are the most potent poison known to man. 
     The Veterans Legal Services Project of Washington D.C.
reviewed 285 different published studies of human exposure to
phenoxy herbicides and dioxins. They found that they caused
specific cancers, skin and liver disorders, reproductive and
developmental disorders, low sperm counts, spontaneous abortions in
the wives of the affected individuals, increased birth defects,
including skin, nerve, heart, kidney, and cleft lips and palate.
The study went on to say there was "sound scientific evidence" of
an association between the 2-4,D and a whole host of other diseases
including cancer of the kidney, testicles, stomach, colon,
prostate, liver, psychological effects, immune system disorders,
gastrointestinal ulcers, and altered lipid metabolism.
     Another common chemical used for lawn care is M.C.P.A. (4-
CHLOR-2METHYLPHENOXY ACIDIC ACID). This is an organic acid that is
closely related to 2,4-D.

PESTICIDES HARM CHILDREN
LEUKAEMIA

     A parents use of pesticides around the home can increase a
childs' risk of developing leukaemia.  A 1993 study looked at 123
pairs of families, one family with a child less than 10 year old
with leukaemia matched with a healthy child of identical age, race,
socioeconomic status and sex.
     Parental exposure to pesticides inside the home, or in the
garden increased the children's risk of leukaemia. Previous studies
have linked pesticides to leukaemia in farmers.  This is the first
study showing a link between household pesticides and leukaemia in
children.BRAIN CANCERS
     The incidence of childhood brain cancers has increased 47%
between 1973 and 1988. The cause of brain cancer is unknown. It is
usually fatal. The average time between diagnosis and death is nine
months. 
     A 1993 study of brain cancer in Missouri children shows an
associations between brain cancer and pesticides. The products
included flea strips, collars, spray bombs, and the spraying of
yards for weeds.    This study examined 45 Missouri children with
brain cancer plus 2 control groups. Control group 1 was 85 healthy
friends of the cancer stricken children and Control group 2 was 108
children with other types of cancers.
     What distinguished the families with brain cancer was their
pesticide use. They used pesticides in their homes more often than
did families whose children did not develop brain tumours. The
study found 15 statistically significant associations between
pesticide use and childhood brain cancer. 

METABOLIC DISORDERS
     Pesticides can be eaten on food or absorbed through the skin.
Some interfere with the body's ability to use vitamin B-6. Vitamin
B-6 deficiency interferes with essential fatty acid metabolism. It
also has neurological effects ranging from epileptic seizures to a
feeling of pins and needles in the extremities.

MENTAL DISORDERS
     The American Journal of Psychiatry has reported three clinical
studies of patients who suffer from panic attacks as a result of
exposure to pesticides.  Panic attacks are a medically defined
condition involving: confusion, disorientation, cold sweats,
palpitations of the heart, difficulty breathing, tremors, fatigue,
muscular cramps, and chest tightness. 
     The panic attacks became debilitating. These attacks were
brought on by the organic solvents in pesticides and were not dose
related. These are examples of ecological illness, like an allergic
reaction, to the presence of exotic synthetic chemicals in the
environment. If exposure to synthetic chemicals increases, more
such medical problems must be anticipated.

CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY
     15% of North Americans experience some form of increased
allergic sensitivity to chemicals or the environment. This
phenomena is increasing in occurrence and severity. Chemically
sensitive individuals are victims of the modern Industrial
environment. The best treatment is avoiding the use of unnatural
chemical agents in and around your home. Fortunately allergic
reactions to dandelion pollen are extremely rare. The size of the
dandelion pollen makes it unlikely to be a source of allergic
reaction.
IMMUNE SYSTEM DISORDERS

     There is a large and convincing body of evidence showing that
pesticides harm the immune system. Pesticide exposure is linked to
a variety of immune system disorders including suppressed T cell
activity, T cells are a particular kind of cell that circulates in
the blood and fights off bacteria,viruses, and cancer cells. The
incidence of immune system disorders is increasing in the general
public.
     It is noteworthy that the same rare cancers affect three
divergent groups; Farmers who have been exposed to pesticides,
patients with AIDS, and people who have had organ transplants who
are then given drugs to suppress their immune system. 

PESTICIDE USE IS RELATED TO BREAST CANCER
     Scientists first found DDT in human breast milk in 1951. DDT
like many pesticides are more fat soluble than water soluble. 
Because of this they enter the body and build up in the fatty
tissues. In 1975 the Environmental protection Agency tested human
milk for pesticides. 99% of the samples contained DDT and PCBs.
These substances are carcinogens in humans.
     A 1982 study of human milk found that 75% contained the
following man made chemicals; methylene chloride, 1,1,1-
trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, benzaldehyde, and acetone. 
     Breast cancer appears to be caused by environmental causes
more than genetics. Women in Japan have one quarter the incidence
of breast cancer until they move to North America, then the levels
rise to North American levels. Cancer experts claim that 30% of
breast cancers can be attributed to social conditions. Birth order
(younger is better), exercise (more is better), animal fats (less
is better), green vegetable (more is better). But what of the other
70% of Breast Cancers?
     Recent conditions in Israel have shown that pesticides may be
an important cause of breast cancer.    Measurement of three
pesticides in  human milk in Israel in the 1970's revealed levels
of contamination of Lindane, alpha-B.H.C. and DDE in concentrations
1000 times higher than in Canada. (DDE is formed when DDT breaks
down and is more dangerous than DDT.) 
     In 1978 public protests brought about a ban of these
pesticides. There was a rapid reduction in all these contaminants.
By 1980 breast milk contamination had dropped by 90% or more among
Israeli women. During this unusual rise and fall of pesticide
residue in human milk there was a corresponding rise and fall of
breast cancer in young Israeli women. The scientists who studied
pesticides and breast cancer in Israel made the important
observation that pesticides mimic or interfere with estrogen
metabolism. Corroborating this view is a study of American women
that shows that women with elevated levels of pesticides have a
higher levels of breast cancer than a control group without
elevated level of these toxins. Research is showing that many
synthetic pesticides, mimic or interfere  with estrogen and other
sex hormones in wildlife and humans.
PETS ARE AT RISK FROM PESTICIDES

     According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute dog
owners who spray or dust their lawns with weed killers containing
2,4-D are getting cancer at twice the rate of other dogs. Dogs walk
across or roll in herbicide treated lawns and then ingest toxic
chemicals when they lick their coats and paws. Naturally, children
who play on treated lawns will also come in contact with the
chemicals. Dogs and children will also track chemicals indoors
where prolonged exposure will occur. 
     People spread 2,4-D around homes and gardens to kill broad
leaf weeds, crabgrass, and dandelions. Farmers use it on tomatoes
to cause all fruit to ripen at the same time for machine
harvesting, and utility companies use it to clear brush around
roads and under hydro lines. It is used heavily on lawns, corn, and
rice to kill weeds. From 1962 to 1971 it was spread as Agent Orange
by U.S. Airmen. Thousands have filed lawsuits against the U.S.
government and companies that supplied Agent Orange because of
cancers and birth defects in their children. Vets who handled Agent
Orange are 70% more likely to father children with birth defects
than vets who did not handle Agent Orange. 
     Farmers who use this dangerous substance are getting the same
type of cancer ( Non Hodgkin's Lymphomas ) as dogs who roll around
on herbicide treated lawns. The occurrence of such cancers has been
slowly rising  for several decades tracking the emergence of the
modern lifestyle in which the dandelion free lawn has come to
symbolize the good life.

PESTICIDE USE IS GROWING

     Between 1950 and 1980 there has been a twelve fold increase in
the use of pesticides. On corn the increase in the use of
insecticides has been a thousand fold. Today the fastest growing
area of pesticide use is lawn care. North Americans spend almost
800 million dollars spreading 75,000,000 pounds of pesticide on
their lawns every year. The industry is growing at 9% a year,
doubling in size every 8 years.
     The growth of pesticide use has not reduced crop losses.
Between 1950 and 1980 with a twelve fold increase in pesticide use
crop losses to insects have increased from 7% to 13%. Clearly
insecticides are not effective. Scientific evidence only indicates
that wide spread use of any insecticide leads to an eventual
increase in the population of the target population. This is
probably due to the fact that pesticides kill the predators and
after an initial population decrease, the target population become
immune.
     Despite proof that in the long term pesticides do not work
more than one billion pounds of pesticides, 660 million pounds of
herbicides, 132 million pounds of fungicides, 268 million pounds of
insecticides, and 70 million pounds of related chemicals are used
each year in North America alone. There are roughly four pounds of
pesticides spread for each man women and child in North America
each year.A direct link between the increase in the use of pesticides
and the increase in cancers is difficult to prove. Even though the
increases mirror each other, this is not proof that the rise of
cancers is caused by a rise in the use of pesticides.
. 
CANCER TYPE         PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN INCIDENCE
1950-1987
Colon                    +24.9%    Skin                     +283% 
Larynx                   +57.3%    Breast                   +258% 
Testicles                +97.3%    Prostate                 +97%
Bladder                  +52.5%    Kidney                   +101% 
Childhood (all types)    +28.4%    Lung                     +257% 
Leukaemia                +2.6%     lymphoma                 +153% 
Average                  +42%

PESTICIDES AND IMMUNITY

     Between 1950 and 1980 nearly 500 important insect pests have
developed genetic resistance to common pesticides. It is estimated
that by the year 2000 virtually all major insect pests will show
some form of genetic resistance. In addition to insects, genetic
resistance has developed in 80 species of weeds treated with weed
killers, 70 species of fungus treated with fungicide, and 10
species of rats treated with rat poisons. Genetic resistance cannot
be stopped, it is the nature of all species. Unfortunately this is
a double edged sword. A fundamental requirement of genetic change
is the death or failure to reproduce in a majority of the
population.
     A recent study in the British Medical Journal concluded that
men in western countries today have sperm counts less than half as
high as their grandfathers had at the same age. In addition the
increase in cancer of the testicles has increased 4 fold in the
last 40 years; and various birth defects to the male reproductive
system have increased 4 fold during the same time period. As we
pointed out earlier a fundamental requirement of genetic change is
the death or failure to reproduce in a majority of the population.
This process is clearly under way. The only question is what is
causing this change?
CHEMICALS THAT MIMIC NATURAL ESTROGENS
     Evidence is mounting that these changes are caused by exposure
of males very early in life to chemicals that act like estrogens.
Synthetic chemicals that mimic estrogens include contraceptives,
D.E.S. which was fed to beef cattle from the 50's to the 70's, and
pesticides.  We now live in an environment that can be viewed as a
virtual sea of estrogens. 
     Chlorinated hydrocarbons, ie pesticides, mimic hormones and
interfere with the endocrine system of wildlife and humans. Studies
link them to breast cancer in women and testicular cancer in their
sons. Thus breast cancer, testicular cancer, and defects in the
male reproductive system including diminished sperm count all seem
linked. PESTICIDES POSE A THREAT TO OUR WATER

     Since 1980 researchers have found agricultural chemicals in
ground water supplies that serve hundreds of millions of people.
Recent studies in Eastern Ontario have shown that over 75% of wells
are polluted with a herbicide used on corn. Residents in Iowa; 27%
of which drink water contaminated with pesticides have a higher
than normal risk of developing leukaemia, lymphoma and other
cancers. 
     Water quality in our rivers is increasing on a number of
fronts, for instance bacterial and lead levels are decreasing
because of a ban on leaded gasoline and improved sewage treatment.
Unfortunately increased usage of fertilizer on suburban lawns is
causing other problems.  One study looked at 24 measures of water
quality taken at 380 water sampling stations across the country
>from  1974-1981. 
     Of the 34 chemicals widely used by the lawn care industry 35%
were detected in ground water. Of these:
62% are toxic to fish.             33% are toxic to bees/birds.
35% Cause birth defects.           21% interfere with reproduction.
39% cause liver damage.            59% are neurotoxins.          
42% cause kidney damage            85% induce chem. sensitivity  
     
THE LAWN CARE INDUSTRY IS UNREGULATED

     The business is largely unregulated. Investigations have found
that the lawn care industry regularly makes false claims such as:
*Our products are non toxic, they readily biodegrade
*2,4-D will not make you sick unless you lay in it for a few days
*The safety issue is blown out of proportion.
*It is safe to use, will not harm birds, or beneficial insects.
*lawn care products are safe for the environment.
     Of the 34 major lawn care chemicals now in use, not one has
been fully tested.  Lawn care companies in Ontario are required by
law to tell employees what they are spraying. You can ask to see
these documents. In all commercial lawn poisons there is an active
ingredient and an inert ingredient. The inert ingredients can be a
variety of carcinogenic substances. Often these substances are more
dangerous than the active ingredient used to kill weeds. 
     Companies that treat hazardous waste are allowed to "recycle"
hazardous waste into lawn care products. It is unclear which is
more dangerous the active pesticide ingredient or the "recycled"
hazardous waste.

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