As the new home of MASSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Massachusetts can be contacted regarding this news release.
Many U.S. residents carry
toxic pesticides in their bodies above government assessed 'acceptable' levels,
according to a report released today by MASSPIRG and Toxics Action Center, and
authored by Pesticide Action Network North America (PAN).
"Chemical
Trespass: Pesticides in Our Bodies and Corporate Accountability"
makes public for the first time an analysis of pesticide-related data collected
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a study of levels
of chemicals in 9,282 people nationwide. The report reveals that government
and industry have failed to safeguard public health from pesticide exposures.
The lead author of report,
PAN Program Coordinator Kristin Schafer, noted, "The CDC found pesticides
in 100% of the people who had both blood and urine tested. The average person
carried 13 of the 23 pesticides we analyzed."
Many of the pesticides found
in the test subjects have been linked to serious short- and long-term health
effects including infertility, birth defects and childhood and adult cancers.
"While the government develops safety levels for each chemical separately,
this study shows that in the real we are exposed to multiple chemicals simultaneously,"
explained Margaret Reeves, Ph. D., Senior Scientist at PAN. "The synergistic
effects of multiple exposures are unknown, but a growing body of research suggests
that even at very low levels, the combination of these chemicals can be harmful
to our health."
In addition to the problem
of multiple exposure, Chemical Trespass found that children---the population
most vulnerable to pesticides-are exposed to the highest levels of nerve-damaging
organophosphorous (OP) pesticides. The CDC data show that the average 6 to 11
year old sampled is exposed to the OP pesticide chlorpyfiros at four times the
level the US EPA considers 'acceptable' for long-term exposure.
The Alliance for Healthy
Tomorrow, a statewide coalition of environmental, labor, and public health organizations,
including MASSPIRG and Toxics Action, is advocating for legislation that would
phase out certain pesticides, including 2,4-D and organophosphate pesticides,
used in weed control, home and garden products, and flea collars among other
things. "There are alternatives to these toxics, and since government and
manufacturers aren't moving fast enough we say 'there ought to be a law' in
Massachusetts," commented Janet Domenitz, Executive Director of MASSPIRG.
The Safer Alternatives to Toxics Bill, H2275, sponsored by Senator Steven Tolman
(Brighton) and Representative Jay Kaufman (Lexington) is awaiting action in
the Natural Resources Committee.
"These tests show the
omnipresence of toxic pesticides in our society," said Matthew Wilson,
Director of Toxics Action Center, which is working with residents across the
state who want to reduce pesticide use in their communities. "Businesses,
government officials and homeowners need to take their finger off the pesticides
trigger to protect the health of our children and our communities."
The report introduces the
Pesticide Trespass Index (PTI), a new tool for quantifying responsibility of
individual pesticide manufacturers for their 'pesticide trespass.' The report
also provides recommendations for federal government and industry action including
having the EPA require that manufacturers bear the burden of proof for demonstrating
that a pesticide does not harm human health before it can be registered.
