 By Shannon Sullivan

 Modern chemicals  Most commonly applied pesticides are insecticides (to kill insects), herbicides(to kill weeds), rodenticides (to kill rodents) and fungicides(to control fungi, mold, and mildew) - the United States uses 22% of the estimated 5.2 billion pounds of pesticides in the world  Use modern chemicals to control the insects, weeds, and other organisms that attack food crops-reduces insect- borne disease

 Pesticides are tested and approved for use by the EPA, which establishes “tolerances,” or maximum residue levels, that describe the amount of a given pesticide that can safely remain in or on a food.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is then responsible for monitoring pesticide levels on fruits and vegetables, while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with the task of surveying pesticide residues in meat, eggs, and dairy products.  HOWEVER, an investigation is underway because an environmental group has accused the EPA of giving faulty approval to thousands of pesticides  Scientists are saying people should be concerned because it is unclear how many pesticides received adequate, if any, testing.  The EPA has admitted to misusing expedited registration which is bad.

 before the mid 1970s it was thought that soil acted as a protective filter that stopped pesticides from reaching groundwater  HOWEVER pesticides can reach water-bearing aquifers below ground from applications onto crop fields, seepage of contaminated surface water, accidental spills and leaks, improper disposal, and even through injecting waste into wells  They are found in almost every stream in the US, and in over 90% of wells. In urban and agricultural areas, pesticides take up over 50% of the groundwater.  Department of Agriculture data says that the average American is exposed to 10 or more pesticides every day from drinking water and diet

 a study has been done that chemicals leached from agricultural pesticides and water treatment processes can lead to food allergies-Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported an 18% uprising in food allergies between 1997 and 2007 (affecting 15 million Americans)-study reported that high levels of the chemical dichlorophenol in the body are associated with food allergies.  dichlorophenol is often put in agricultural pesticides as well as consumer insect and weed control products, also is used to chlorinate tap water

 pesticides have been linked to ADHD in children from fruits and vegetables  1.2 billion lbs of pesticides are used annually in the US, but less than.01% actually reach their intended targets- the bugs! That means that 99.9% impact the environment.  Impacts on the Environment include: Loss of biodiversity and elimination of key species (ex. bees), water pollution, soil contamination, and pest resistance (resulting in the need for increased application of pesticides, or formulation of alternate pesticides)  Pesticide Drift: all pesticides (95-98%) wind up in or on something other than their intended target  there have been connections to various health problems including nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone system effects, and irritation of skin, eyes, and lungs  More pesticides have to be used to make up for the drifting which is bad for us

 EVERY human that is tested has traces of pesticides in their body fat  Exposure of pesticides has been linked to cancer (brain tumors and leukemia), adverse neurodevelopment, lower IQ’s, autism, Alzheimer's, attention disorders and hyperactivity  Exposure in pregnant women may cause obesity in their children  It is an endocrine disruptor, where it changes gene expression patterns and causes unforeseen harm to health  Most dangerous for farmworkers, children, anyone of childbearing age, and women in their first trimester of pregnancy

 1. Onions are #1 with 90% of onions having no detectable pesticides  2. Avocados are 2nd with less than 10% having any pesticide residue  3. Sweet Corn is 3rd, over 90% of frozen sweet corn tested did not have any detectable pesticides  4. Pineapples are 4th best with more than 90% free of pesticides and less than 1% had multiple pesticides  5. Mangoes are 5th best and have less than 10% detectable pesticides

 1. Celery is worst when it comes to pesticide contamination, 95% of celery tested contained pesticides and 85% contained multiple. A single celery had 13 diff. chemicals on it.  2. Peaches is 2nd, 96% were positively tested for pesticides, 86% had residue of 2 or more pesticides, a single peach tested with 9 different pesticides on it  3. Strawberries is 3rd, 13 diff. chemicals were found on a single sample, and among all 53 different pesticides were discovered  4. Apples are 4th, they contained pesticides 93.6% of the time, were contaminated with two or more pesticides 82.3% of the time  5. Domestic Blueberries are 5th, with a single blueberry having residue froma s many as 13 different chemicals.

 especially susceptible to the harmful effects of pesticide residues because of their lower body mass, rapid development, and higher rates of consumption of affected products  exposure can cause delayed development, disruptions to the reproductive, endocrine, and immune systems, certain types of cancer, and damage to other organs  prenatal exposure to certain pesticides can affect cognitive development and behavior

 30 million tons of US produced soy meal is consumed annually as livestock feed, which is grown by intensive industrial farming operations that use large amounts of pesticides and other inputs, and often rely on genetically engineered crop varieties  Some common genetic modifications include plants that are bred to contain insecticides within their genetic makeup or to withstand direct application of herbicides-when grain is grown with pesticides it causes environmental damage, and when it is fed to livestock the pesticide residues can accumulate in the animals’ fatty tissue and milk.  Fields growing crops with genetically engineered seeds use 24% more chemicals than ones grown with conventional seeds  Arsenic Compound is a pesticide included in livestock feed to control intestinal parasites and other pests

 labels on pesticides have “environmental hazard statements”  describe the products' relative risk to waterways-list the required precautions that applicators must take to protect water-name sensitive species like fish, amphibians or birds

 Pesticides have been used since ancient times-elemental sulfur was used by ancient Sumerians to protect their crops from insects  Medieval farmers and scientists experimented with arsenic on common crops  the pesticide business is a 12.5 billion dollar industry in the US

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