What are the dangers of pesticides?
If you Google “the dangers of pesticides”, you will probably be met with conflicting information about which pesticides are dangerous. If a government agency like the Environmental Protection Agency or Center for Disease Control says that a synthetic pesticide is safe, is it really? Why are certain pesticides declared safe and widely used for decades – only to have evidence later emerge that they are actually dangerous? At which point the harmful synthetic agents are banned, but the impacts on human and environmental health cannot be undone.
When you are considering which pesticides to use around your lawn and property, do your research. At Kinder Spray, we specialize in organic and natural treatments for your lawn that use cedar oil and essential oils to kill and deter pests. Don’t risk the well-being of your family or the natural environment around your home by ignoring the dangers of pesticides. Choose an organic pest control company – Kinder Spray!
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How are the dangers of pesticides determined?
One of the problems with uncovering information about the dangers of pesticides relates to how they are tested. Many pesticides are tested for safety on lab animals like rats – not humans. Take pyrethroids, for example. This is a synthetic version of pyrethrin, a pesticide that is naturally derived from chrysanthemums. Both the natural version and the synthetic version were widely-used types of pesticides for killing insects like mosquitoes, ticks and lice. They were both declared safe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which stated that pyrethroids “posed health risks below the agency’s concern” in 2011. This declaration of safety is based on animal testing.
The use of pyrethroids has soared since the EPA banned the in-home use of pesticides containing organophosphates in 2001. Now, pyrethrins and pyrethroids can be found in more than 3,500 commercial pesticide products. These products include everything from lice treatments to lawn treatments.
But over time, evidence has emerged that pyrethroids – the synthetic version of pyrethrin – are not as safe as was originally thought.
In 2008, the Center for Public Integrity analyzed 90,000 adverse reaction reports and found that health problems linked to pyrethroids had increased 300 times in 10 years. The problems included burning and tingling skin, respiratory trouble, involuntary twitching, dizziness, nausea, fainting, convulsions and seizures. In Australia, a union representing transport workers is even mulling a class action lawsuit on behalf of air stewards who allege they suffer neurodegenerative diseases as a result of exposure to the insecticides.
Indeed, two recent studies have linked pyrethroid use to adverse changes in the developing brain. This September, a study on Canadian children found that exposure to pyrethroid insecticides was linked to behavioral problems reported by parents, while a 2011 study of mothers in New York found a strong association between prenatal exposure to piperonyl butoxide — an additive commonly used in pyrethroid sprays — and delayed mental development in toddlers. – The Verge
It’s rare for the dangers of pesticides to be studied on anything but mice or rats. But mice and rats are not toddlers, and so it’s impossible to know how dangerous a popular pesticide is until serious damage has been done.
Choose Pest Control That is Safe and Effective
Kinder Spray does not use synthetic pesticides to treat your lawn or home. We use all-natural, organic cedar and essential oil, and environmentally-friendly Bti briquettes. Our customers can attest that our natural and organic treatment is effective, and that we are able to answer all their questions about the safety and application of the natural pesticides we use. Read our customer testimonials here.
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Sources for This Article:
Pesticides Are Everywhere, And More Dangerous Than You Realize – The Verge
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