Pesticides and Herbicides
The increased use of pesticides and herbicides (the word “cide" means a thing that kills) in American agriculture since World War II has had a profound effect on water quality. Rain and irrigation carry these deadly chemicals into groundwater, as well as into surface waters.
Pesticides are chemicals used to control various pests such as insects, rodents, fungi, (such as mold and mildew), and weeds. Over the past 30 years, commercial and residential use of pesticides has skyrocketed. Today pesticides are commonly used both inside and outside and can be found in our soil, water, air, and bodies. Our built environments, including schools, homes, lawns, parks, and places of work, can all be sites of hazardous pesticides. Despite their prevalence, pesticides can be extremely dangerous and pose serious threats to the health of humans and wildlife everywhere.
Children are often more vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides because of their small size and their rapid developmental and metabolic rates. In addition, children’s behavior, including increased hand to mouth activity, a tendency to crawl and play in spaces that could be contaminated, and a lack of awareness about proper safety and sanitary habits, all put children at a higher risk. In some cases, childhood exposure to pesticides can cause serious health damage later on in an individual’s life.
Health Effects of Pesticides
Numerous studies have been conducted confirming a link between pesticide exposure and negative health effects. Symptoms of pesticide poisoning include a decrease in overall feelings of wellness, reproductive complications and failure, birth defects, learning disabilities, neurological and behavioral changes, organ damage, and various forms of cancer including leukemia, breast cancer, and brain tumors. Pesticide poisoning is especially threatening to children since their brain and nervous systems are at critical stages of development.
