Stop The Use of Pesticides!

Pesticides are very dangerous and toxic to humans, animals, insects, sea creatures, water and
the environment. The many types of pesticides are: herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides,
acaricides, bactericides, nematicides, molluscicides, avicides, and piscicides. Herbicides are used to
kill weeds. Insecticides kill insects. Fungicides eliminate fungi. Rodenticides eradicate rodents.
Acaricides put an end to mites and ticks. Bactericides are lethal to bacteria. Nematicides cause
nematodes to perish. Molluscicides kill snails and slugs. Avicides are used on birds, Piscicides target
fish. Algaecides are designed to kill off algae. Pesticides are utilized to kill things that are considered
pests to humans or are a nuisance. Exposure to pesticides can lead to many diseases and health
issues. The diseases that have been linked to pesticides are: asthma, birth defects, Alzheimers
disease, breast cancer, brain cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, ADHD, autism,
Parkinsons disease, diabetes, and problems with their reproductive system. Also, pesticides cause
symptoms including: neurodevelopmental deficiencies, headaches, nausea, dizziness, disorientation,
aching joints, inability to concentrate, vomiting, mental distortion, convulsions, and skin irritations.
People can be exposed to pesticides directly and indirectly. People can be exposed to pesticides by
breathing in fumes or dust from pesticides. People also gain exposure from directly ingesting toxic
water or food contaminated by pesticides. Pesticides can also be directly absorbed through the skin.
Pesticide residue can remain lethal for months. It is important to note, when pesticides are applied
on the ground it doesnt truly remain just on the application site. Pesticides can be moved by rain
and wind. It also travels through our Earths surface and poisons our planet. In many cases,
pesticides are ineffective for long term treatment. There are many alternatives that have not been
main-streamed due to the big money that the pesticide companies spend to advertise the availability
of their products.
Every pesticide is a mixture of hazardous chemicals. Pesticides are composed of five main
groupings of ingredients: active ingredients, inert ingredients, synergists, contaminants and
impurities, and metabolites. Active ingredients are the part of pesticides responsible for the chemical
and biological attack against pests. Inert ingredients are the carrier of the pesticide product. They
arent necessarily safe and non-reactive. They can sometimes be even more toxic than the active
ingredients. Synergists are used to increase the strength of the pesticide. Contaminants and
impurities are created as byproducts of manufacturing. These byproducts also can be quite toxic too.
Metabolites are created when the product degrades due to exposure to air, water, soil, sunlight and
living organisms. These can be the most hazardous. A popular misconception is that the active
ingredient is the only hazardous part of pesticides. However, as described, each component
contributes and possibly amplifies the toxicity.
The most popular non-agricultural brand herbicide, Trimec, has a dangerous chemical
component called 2, 4-D. This chemical is used to eliminate broadleaf weeds. 2, 4-D increases the
chance of developing multiple cancers, damages the liver, disrupts the endocrine system and causes
reproductive destruction. The most popular pesticide, Roundup, has glyphosate. Glyphosate kills
weeds by blocking proteins essential to plant growth. Roundup is the second most widely used
herbicide in the United States. It is a pesticide used on a wide variety of weeds. It is, by far, the
biggest contributor to this problem. Glyphosate can cause: eye, upper respiratory tract, and skin
irritations. Glyphosate can also cause: vomiting and low blood pressure, antibiotic resistance,
hormone disruption, chromosomal damage in cells, increased risks of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and
tumor formation.
Lake Apopka, FL is rated to be the one of the most toxic lakes. The damage to this lake has
affected human health, animal health, and environmental health. Sadly, Lake Apopka started off as a

rich muck farming area in 1941; every day many farmworkers arrived to work this land. Lake
Apopka was known as a premier bass fishing lake during the 1940s to 1950s. In 1998, many
studies had been conducted to determine that Lake Apopka was on the verge of an environmental
collapse. It was very common for the farmworkers to get sprayed with pesticides every day from the
planes that sprinkled it down, unknowing that the pesticides were toxic. It was also common for
worker to not wash their hands after handling fruits and vegetables that had been recently sprayed.
They would go straight to lunch and eat with their contaminated hands. The workers have dealt with
the lasting damage due to this negligence. Many symptoms have been noted but the most common
with Lake Apopka farmworkers was arthritis. Other symptoms included: cancer, reproductive harm,
frequent sinus problems, throat problems, allergies, rheumatism, urinary urgency at night, diabetes,
skin problems, recurrent rashes, obesity, bladder urgency, nervousness, coughing, ear aches, ear
infections, asthma, depression, uncontrollable anger, loss of memory, acid reflux, urinary tract and
bladder infections, and constipation. It took about five to thirty years for the symptoms to become
known. Due to the lapse in time, officials find it very difficult to prove the link between the extreme
exposure and the symptoms. The toll on humans from pesticide exposure is found in the symptoms,
the genetic defects being passed to future generations and the health care cost for all the health
issues. Pesticide application has ruined the land around the lake and the lake itself. The literal cost of
this is the clean-up expenses to return this rich farming soil and lake area back to its former glory.
The intentional disposal of harmful chemicals into the lake by the farms caused algae blooms,
blocking light from the sun causing the plants to die. The decline of water plants caused a lack of
food for fish and caused a decline in the number of fish. It is important to note when the food chain
is disrupted it causes issue with the connecting parts to the chain. Hence, if pesticides damage water
quality causing algae blooms, that kills off water plants, which causes declines in fish populations,
which can cause a decrease in the bird populationsand on and on. The destruction of water quality
has had an effect on fish and alligators that do and had populated the water. Lake Apopka has a very
low population of alligators. Researchers developed a link between pesticide exposure and
reproductive issues. The alligators were poisoned from the water quality of the lake. Other areas in
Florida, like Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades, are experiencing this same issue. An organized
citizen advocacy group called Friends of Apopka is working together with government agencies and
agricultural interests to help restore Lake Apopka and change the way that people do things in the
future.
A non-profit organization called Beyond Pesticides was interviewed to determine how a
middle-school aged person could make an impact in the elimination of pesticides. Their
recommendation was to simply inform people about the risks of pesticide use. A simple conversation
can raise awareness and initiate changes in behaviors. Taking this a step further, social media can
play a huge part in transmitting an opinion, raising awareness and initiating change. Even a yard
sign that shouts No Pesticides Used on This Lawn can initiate thought and change. If entire
communities stand together in this fight it can only gain strength. Communities build towns. Towns
build states. States build the nation. A simple way to avoid pesticide exposure and ingestion is by
eating organic foods. Organic farmers put no chemicals or pesticides on the fruit or vegetables.
When you buy organic this sends farmers a message that pesticides are not preferred for your body
and the environment. Alternatives that are less hazardous are: boric acid, diatomaceous earth,
insecticidal soaps, herbicidal soaps, and Bacillus thuringiensis. These alternatives can be explored as
they are less hazardous. However, it would be preferred to use no pesticides at all. Maintaining a
healthy soil with good mowing, watering and organic fertilizing helps develop healthy grass. Inside
a home, it is easy to be proactive in stopping issues that might invite pests. Improving sanitation,
making structural repairs, and using physical controls to keep out pests can help. This approach is
called Integrated Pest Management.

A report of pesticide use leading to catastrophe is not only isolated to the local issue in Lake
Apopka. It can happen anywhere any state, any country. It is up to citizens, government agencies,
health professionals and top researchers to join together and talk about this problem. Alternatives are
possible. The planet is precious and its resources, animals and people need to be protected. One
million people in a county of Maryland will be protected by a ban of cosmetic lawn pesticides. This
local government is a trend setter making health and environmental issues a priority. The
Environmental Protection Agency, or E.P.A., is a federal government agency that was created for the
purpose of protecting human health and the environment. It writes the regulation that defines
approved practices. Believe it or not, they are looking for direct input from concerned citizens. The
EPA is interested in the opinion of whether organophosphate pesticides should be completely
banned. They are neurotoxic. They have been voluntarily removed from the market but they have
not been officially banned. This is another example of how being involved, having a conversation,
and expressing an opinion can lead to positive change.
Across the world, bee populations are dwindling. Bees are being poisoned by pesticides. The
flowers that the bees are pollenating are filled with pesticides. Those pesticides kill the bees. When
these bees dont pollenate the flowers, our food wont grow. A world without bees is a world without
fruits, vegetables and plants. In an extreme situation of bee extermination, our world might need to
have lab-grown meat and lab-grown fruits and vegetables. The EFSA, UNAAPI, and PAN put a
lawsuit to stop bee-toxic pesticide sulfoxaflor in Europe. There was also a study to see if neonics
affects the health of queen bees. This study showed that neonics affects the health of queen bees
severely! Neonic pesticides are not just on the surface of plants, it is absorbed throughout all of the
plant tissue. They are extremely dangerous. Right now, genetically modified crops are extremely
common. The risks related to these crops are much greater than the selective breeding process. These
crops have highly elevated amounts of pesticides. There has also been an increase in herbicide use
and weed resistance for herbicide- tolerant crops. Nineteen European Union countries have opted
out of approving GE crops. These countries have joined in effort to stop GE crops from being
accepted. This had sent a message to Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup. Monsanto had to
lower their companys worker force by eleven point six percent. Monsantos sales from Roundup
had dropped from one point twenty-five billion dollars down to one point one billion dollars. The
decline of Roundups popularity can be contributed to an announce made by a program within the
World Health Organization. They announced in 2015 that glyphosate, the active ingredient of
Roundup, is now classified as a human carcinogen based on animal studies. Hopefully, the European
perspective of pesticide safety catches on in the United States. United States is moving in the
opposite direction gaining more approved GE crops.
Unequivocal evidence to support the direct link that pesticides cause human cancer does not
currently exist. The delay between exposure and symptoms or disease in humans causes the
probability for other reasons to be the root of the cause. However, there have been enough animal
studies to support the existence of this truth. It is important that citizens act to remove this menace
from use. It is imperative to take action today. Sharing conversations and opinions will lead to
citizens taking action. Education and conversation are keys to improvement. It is important to
observe the fragility of our environment and protect our environment for future generations. We
share this planet with many people and animals. It is up to all mankind to be stewards to secure the
prosperous future of our earth.

(Friends of Lake Apopka) (Geographic) (Insecticides and Wildlife) (Florida Gators Need To Win Over Pesticides)
(Majority of EU countries opt-out of approved GE crops) (Study finds neonics "severly affect" health of honey bee
queens) (Lawsuit seeks to stop use of bee-toxic pesticides sulfoxaflor in EU) (PA seeks public opinion on continued
use of neurotoxic organohostate pesticides) (Maryland County bans cosmetic lawn pesticides on all land in county,
One million people protected) (Healthy Hospitals Controlling Pests without Harmful Pesticides)