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Children and Lawn Chemicals Don’t Mix

Lawns and landscapes can be effectively managed without toxic chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment. This fact sheet on children’s vulnerability
to lawn pesticides provides the documented science on the hazards of lawn pesticides.
Children are especially vulnerable to pesticides

■ The National Academy of Sciences reports that children are more susceptible to chemicals than adults and estimates that 50% of lifetime pesticide exposure occurs during the first five years of life.1
■ EPA concurs that children take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults and have developing organ systems that are more vulnerable and less able to detoxify toxic chemicals.2
■ Infants crawling behavior accounts for a greater potential than adults for dermal exposure to contaminants on carpets,
floors, lawns, and soil.3
■ Children with developmental delays and those younger than six years are at increased risk of ingesting pesticides through nonfood items, such as soil.4
■ Studies find that pesticides such as the weedkiller 2,4-D pass from mother to child through umbilical cord blood and breast milk.5
■ Consistent observations have led investigators to conclude that chronic low-dose exposure to certain pesticides might pose a hazard to the health and development of children.6
Children, cancer and pesticides
■ The probability of an effect such as cancer, which requires a period of time to develop after exposure, is enhanced if exposure occurs early in life.7
■ A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds that household and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia as much as seven-fold.8
■ Studies show that children living in households where pesticides are used suffer elevated rates of leukemia, brain cancer and soft tissue sarcoma.9
■ Pesticides can increase susceptibility to certain cancers by breaking down the immune system's surveillance against cancer cells. Infants and children, the aged and the chronically ill are at greatest risk from chemically induced immune-suppression.10
■ The most commonly used nonagricultural herbicide, 2,4-D, has been linked to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in scientific studies.11
■ A study published by the American Cancer Society finds an increased risk for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) for people exposed to common herbicides and fungicides, particularly the weedkiller mecoprop (MCPP). People exposed to glyphosate (found in Roundup®) are 2.7 times more likely to develop NHL.12
■ 75 out of all 99 human studies done on lymphoma and pesticides find a link between the two.13
■ Four peer-reviewed studies demonstrate the ability of glyphosate-containing herbicides to cause genetic damage to DNA (mutagenicity), even at very low concentration levels.14

Develop healthy soil with the use of a slow-release natural organic fertilizer to avoid weed problems. Corn gluten is an effective natural pre-emergent. Safe spot treatments include fatty-acid soaps and botanicals such as vinegar or citrus-based products.

Beyond Pesticides/National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides
Page 16 Pesticides and You Vol. 25, No. 2, 2005
                       

                                                 Children, asthma and pesticides

■ A 2004 peer-reviewed study finds that young infants and toddlers exposed to herbicides (weedkillers) within their first year of life are four and a half times more likely to develop asthma by the age of five, and almost two and a half times more likely when exposed to insecticides. 17
■ EPA material safety data sheets for the common herbicides
2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba, (often combined as Trimec®) and glyphosate (Roundup®) list them as respiratory irritants that can cause irritation to skin and mucous membranes, chest burning, coughing, nausea and vomiting.
Children, learning and developmental disorders and pesticides
■ Roughly one in six children in the U.S. has one or more developmental disability, ranging from a learning disability to a serious behavioral or emotional disorder.20
■ Scientists believe that the amount of toxic chemicals in the environment that cause developmental and neurological damage are contributing to the rise of physical and mental effects being found in children.22
■ Studies show children’s developing organs create “early windows of great vulnerability” during which exposure to lawn pesticides can cause great damage.23
■ Lawn pesticide products containing herbicides and fertilizers
(such as “weed and feed” products) tested on mice show increased risk of infertility, miscarriage and birth defects at very low dosages.24
■ Additional studies on lawn pesticide product formulations show effects on learning ability, aggressiveness, memory, motor skills and immune system function.25
■ A 2002 peer-reviewed study finds children born to parents exposed to glyphosate (Roundup®) show a higher incidence
of attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity.26
■ A study of 210,723 live births in Minnesota farming communities
finds children of pesticide applicators have significantly higher rates of birth defects than the average population.27
■ In a 2004/2005 review of 2,4-D, EPA concurs that, “there is a concern for endocrine disruption.”28
Pesticide accumulation and drift
■ Children ages 6-11 nationwide have significantly higher levels of lawn pesticide residues in their bodies than all other age categories.29
■ Biomonitoring testing in Canada finds residues of lawn pesticides, such as 2,4-D and mecoprop, in 15 percent of children tested, ages three to seven, whose parents had recently applied the lawn chemicals. Breakdown products of organophosphate pesticides are present in 98.7 percent of children tested.30
■ Scientific studies show that 2,4-D applied to lawns drifts and is tracked indoors where it settles in dust, air and surfaces and may remain for up to a year in carpets.31
■ Samples from 120 Cape Cod homes, where elevated incidence
of breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers are reported, find high indoor air and dust concentrations of carbaryl, permethrin, and 2,4-D.32
Studies show children’s developing organs create
“early windows of great vulnerability” during which exposure to lawn pesticides
can cause great damage.

Beyond Pesticides/National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides
Vol. 25, No. 2, 2005 Pesticides and You Page 17

 

 

References
1 National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. 1993. Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children, National Academy Press, Washington, DC: 184-185.
2 US EPA, Office of the Administrator, Environmental Health Threats to Children, EPA 175-F-96-001, September 1996. See also: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/pest.htm.
3 Bearer CF. 2000. “The special and unique vulnerability of children to environmental hazards.” Neurotoxicology 21: 925-934.
4 Faustman EM, Silbernagel SM, Fenske RA, Burbacher TM, Ponce RA. 2000. Mechanisms underlying children’s susceptibility to environmental toxicants. Environ Health Perspect. 108(suppl 1):13 –21.
5 Pohl, HR., et al. 2000. “Breast-feeding exposure of infants to selected pesticides,”
Toxicol Ind Health. 16 :65 –77; Sturtz, N., et al. 2000. Detection of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) residues in neonates breast-fed by 2,4-D exposed dams. Neurotoxicology 21(1-2): 147-54; Houlihan, J., et al. 2005. Body Burden, The Pollution in Newborns. Environmental Workgin Group, Washington, D.C. http://www.ewg.org/reports/body_burden2/ (accessed
8/5/05).
6 Weiss, B., et al. 2004 April. “Pesticides,” Pediatrics 113(4): 1030-1036.
7 Vasselinovitch, S., et al., “Neoplastic Response of Mouse Tissues During Perinatal Age Periods and Its Significance in Chemical Carcinogensis,” Perinatal Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute Monograph 51, 1979.
8 Lowengart, R. et al. 1987. “Childhood Leukemia and Parent’s Occupational and Home Exposures,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 79:39.
9 Leiss, J., et al. 1995. “Home Pesticide Use and Childhood Cancer: A Case-Control Study,” American Journal of Public Health 85:249-252; Gold, E. et al. 1979. “Risk Factors for Brain Tumors in Children,” Am J of Epidemiology 109(3): 309-319; Lowengart, P., et al. 1995. “Childhood Leukemia and Parents’ Occupational and Home Exposures,” J National Cancer Institute 79(1): 39-45; Reeves, J. 1982. “Household Insecticide-Associated Blood Dyscrasias in Children,” (letter) Am J of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology 4:438-439; Davis, J., et al. 1993. “Family Pesticide Use and Childhood Brain Cancer,” Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 24:87-92; Buckley, J., et al. 1994. “Epidemiological characteristics of Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia,” Leukemia 8(5):856-864.
10 Repetto, R., et al. 1996 March. Pesticides and Immune System: The Public Health Risk, World Resources Institute, Washington, DC.
11 Hoar, S., et al. 1986. “Agricultural Herbicide Use and a Risk of Lymphoma and Soft-Tissue Sarcoma, ”Journal of the American Medical Association, 259(9): 1141-1147; Wigle, D., et al. 1990. “Mortality Study of Canadian Farm Operators: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Mortality and Agricultural Practices in Saskatchewan,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 82(7):575-582; Woods, J. 1989. “Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Among Phenoxy Herbicide-Exposed Farm Workers in Western Washington State,” Chemosphere 18(1-6):401-406; Zahm, S., et al. 1990. “A Case Control Study of Non-Hodkin’s Lymphoma on the Herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in Eastern Nebraska” Epidemiology 1(5):349-356.
12 Hardell, L., et al. 1999 Mar. “A Case-Control Study of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides,” J of the Am Cancer Soc, (85):6. p.1353.
13 Osburn, Susan. 2001. Do Pesticides Cause Lymphoma? Lymphoma Foundation
of America, Chevy Chase, MD.
14 Cox Caroline. 2004 Winter. “Glyphosate.” Journal Of Pesticide Reform. Vol. 24 (4).
17 Salam, MT, et al. 2003. “Early Life Environmental Risk Factors for Asthma: Findings from the Children’s Health Study.” Environmental Health Perspectives.
112(6): 760.
20 Boyle, C. A., et al. 1994. “Prevalence and health impact of developmental disabilities in US children.” Pediatrics 93: 399-403.
22 National Research Council. 2000. Scientific frontiers in developmental toxicology and risk assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Physicians for Social Responsibility, The National Environmental Trust, and The Learning Disabilities Association of America. 2000. Polluting our future: Chemical pollution in the U.S. that affects child development and learning. http://www.net.org/health/tri_report.pdf (accessed 6/2/05).
23 Landrigan, P.J., L Claudio, SB Markowitz, et al. 1999. “Pesticides and inner-
city children: exposures, risks, and prevention.” Environmental Health Perspectives 107 (Suppl 3): 431-437.
24 Greenlee, A. et al. 2004. “Low-Dose Agrochemicals and Lawn-Care Pesticides Induce Developmental Toxicity in Murine Preimplantation Embryos,” Environ Health Perspect 112(6): 703-709; Cavieres, M., et al. 2002. “Developmental toxicity of a commercial herbicide mixture in mice: Effects on embryo implantation and litter size.” Environ Health Perspect 110:1081-1085.
25 Porter, Warren. 2004 Spring. “Do Pesticides Affect Learning and Behavior? The neuro-endocrine-immune connection,” Pesticides And You, Beyond Pesticides. 21(4): 11-15; Shettler, T., et al. 2000. “Known and suspected developmental neurotoxicants,” In Harms Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development,
Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility: Cambridge, MA; Mitchell, J. et al. 1989. “The Behavioral Effects of Pesticides in Male Mice,” Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 11: 45-50.
26 Cox C. 2004. Journal Of Pesticide Reform. Vol. 24 (4) citing: Garry, V.F. et al. 2002. “Birth defects, season of conception, and sex of children born to pesticide applicators living in the Red River Valley of Minnesota.” Environ. Health Persp. 110 (Suppl. 3):441-449.
27 Garry, V., et al. 1996. “Pesticide appliers, biocides, and birth defects in rural Minnesota.” Environmental Health Perspectives 104(4):394-399.
28 EPA. 2004 June. 2,4-D. HED’s Human Health Risk Assessment for the Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED). P. 7.
29 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2003 Jan. Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.
30 Valcke, Mathieu, et al. 2004. “Characterization of exposure to pesticides used in average residential homes with children ages 3 to 7 in Quebec.” National Institute of Public Health, Québec. www.inspq.qc.ca/pdf/publications/
319-CaracterisationPesticidesEnfants.pdf (accessed 6/2/05).
31 Nishioka, M., et al. 1996. Environmental Science Technology, 30:3313-3320; Nishioka, M., et al. 2001. Environmental Health Perspectives, 109(11).
32 Rudel, Ruthann, et al. 2003. “Phthalates, Alkylphenols, Pesticides, Polybrominated
Diphenyl Ethers, and Other Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in Indoor Air and Dust.” Environmental Science and Technology 37(20): 4543-4553.