Why pesticides are bad for you

Farm workers and pesticide applicators are also more vulnerable because they receive greater exposures. Immediate health effects from pesticide exposure includes irritation of the nose, throat, and skin causing burning, stinging and itching as well as rashes and blisters.

Nausea, dizziness and diarrhea are also common. In many cases, symptoms of pesticide poisoning mimic symptoms of colds or the flu. Since pesticide-related illnesses appear similar or identical to other illnesses, pesticide poisonings are often misdiagnosed and under-reported. Immediate symptoms may not be severe enough to prompt an individual to seek medical attention, or a doctor might not even think to ask about pesticide exposure.

Still, seek medical attention immediately if you think you may have been poisoned by pesticides. Chronic health effects include cancer and other tumors; brain and nervous system damage; birth defects; infertility and other reproductive problems; and damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs and other body organs. Chronic effects may not appear for weeks, months or even years after exposure, making it difficult to link health impacts to pesticides. Pesticides have been implicated in human studies of leukemia, lymphoma and cancers of the brain, breasts, prostate, testes and ovaries.

Many people buy pesticides off the shelf for home and garden use. And finally, pesticide residues found on, and in, our food also puts us at risk. Pesticides can be acutely toxic. This means that they can cause harmful or lethal effects after a single episode of ingestion, inhalation or skin contact. The symptoms are evident shortly after exposure or can arise within 48 hours. They can present as:. Pesticides can cause harmful effects over an extended period, usually following repeated or continuous exposure at low levels.

The term endocrine disruptor refers to substances that interfere with hormones and hormone balance. Hormones are the chemical messengers of the body. However, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary , — ; their effect on bees is a common example , There is also evidence for possible effects on the endocrine and reproductive systems of animals , , Moreover, a recent study demonstrated that neonicotinoids are able to increase the expression of the enzyme aromatase, which is engaged in breast cancer and also plays an important role during developmental periods Current agricultural practices include the wide production and extensive use of chemicals known for their ability to cause negative health effects in humans and wildlife and to degrade the natural environment.

Therefore, an urgent strategic approach is needed for a reduction in the use of agrochemicals and for the implementation of sustainable practices. Furthermore, current agriculture has to implement environmentally friendlier practices that pose fewer public health risks.

Reforming agricultural practices aligned to fulfill these criteria is a step toward the sustainability of the agricultural sector in contrast to precision agriculture — However, the reduction in the use of agrochemicals by applying them only when and where they are necessary, the spatiotemporal variability of all the soil and crop factors of a given field must be taken into consideration.

This variability includes yield, field, soil, and crop variability but also factors, such as wind damage or flooding. Technological systems, such as geographical information systems, global positioning systems, and various sensors, can be useful — , These technological systems are developed by precision agriculture which of course we do not endorse, but we consider that selected technological tools can be used to decrease risks for environmental pollution and water pollution and to enhance economic benefits stemming from the reduction in the use of chemical products , It should be clear that the reform into an aggregate of machine-centered procedures and losing a human-centered character are not the desired.

In contrast, the reduction in the use of pesticides assisted by innovative technological methods we strongly believe that may reduce the use of chemical substances or maybe it can lead to a total abandonment in many cases, such as in the case of urban green areas. The decision of the Italian village of Mals near the Austrian and Swiss borders to ban the use of pesticides and produce pesticide-free foods can be considered as a pioneer example across Europe.

This historical decision apart that is consistent with the food sovereignty concept, which is discussed in the following section, also declares the need for disseminating information for raising awareness of the public in order to develop informed consents. The industrialization of agriculture has brought a series of problems including economic, social, and environmental impacts that local populations cannot manage.

Furthermore, the overproduction of food, export-oriented monocultures, the demand for cheap labor, and the other characteristics of industrialization have clearly failed to solve the problems of hunger and malnutrition. On the contrary, inequitable food distribution, overexploitation of land and water sources, the overuse of agrochemicals, and the degradation of the natural environment are some of the results of the dominant agricultural model , — Food sovereignty promotes social, economic, and environmental sustainability, for instance, through the protection of the indigenous population and the production of food for distribution in local markets, and there is an ongoing effort for its recognition as a basic human right — , , The dominant agricultural model has increased the chemical burden on natural environment , Moreover, international agrochemical companies absorb traditional agricultural companies, leading to an industrialized agriculture model and leaving the local farmers and small producers to face the consequences , In many cases, these people are obliged to adopt environmentally unfriendly techniques to increase their production in order to survive in the market, causing more environmental degradation However, due to the fact that food sovereignty does not necessarily mean pesticide-free, organic food production, and because it does not determine pesticide use levels, for this reason, international eco-friendly standards should be implemented.

People must be free to decide the method of production of their own food, and an important component of this decision concerns agrochemical products. The decision of the people of Mals to reject pesticides can be considered a step in this direction. The need for protection against pests is a given and has its roots in antiquity, when both organic and chemical substances were applied as pesticides Since then, numerous chemical pesticides have been produced, and now multinational agrochemical companies, which mostly control global food production, apply new chemical substances with pesticide properties and implement biotechnological advances, thus diverging from traditional agricultural methods.

Furthermore, current agricultural practices are based on the wide use of chemical pesticides that have been associated with negative impacts on human health, wildlife, and natural environment 9 , 11 , , , Current agriculture has to deal with important factors, such as population growth, food security, health risks from chemical pesticides, pesticide resistance, degradation of the natural environment, and climate change — In recent years, some new concepts regarding agriculture and food production have appeared.

A concept as such is climate-smart agriculture that seeks solutions in the new context of climate change , Another major ongoing controversy exists between the advocates and the opponents of genetically engineered pesticide-resistant plants, regarding not only their safety 29 , , but also their impact on pesticide use — Furthermore, the real-life chronic exposure to mixture of pesticides with possible additive or synergistic effects requires an in depth research.

The underlying scientific uncertainty, the exposure of vulnerable groups and the fact that there are numerous possible mixtures reveal the real complex character of the problem — The combination of substances with probably carcinogenic or endocrine-disrupting effects may produce unknown adverse health effects.

Taking into consideration the health and environmental effects of chemical pesticides, it is clear that the need for a new concept in agriculture is urgent. This new concept must be based on a drastic reduction in the application of chemical pesticides, and can result in health, environmental, and economic benefits as it is also envisaged in European Common Agricultural Policy CAP We believe in developing pesticide-free zones by implementing a total ban at local level and in urban green spaces is easily achievable.

Despite the difficulties of establishing an innovative concept, the transition to a new cleaner and safer agricultural model is necessary.

SM contributed with proof reading, literature review, and editing. CK and Mr. PS contributed with literature review and editing. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U.

Journal List Front Public Health v. Front Public Health. Published online Jul Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Reviewed by: M. Specialty section: This article was submitted to Environmental Health, a section of the journal Frontiers in Public Health. Received Jan 27; Accepted Jul 4. The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author s or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice.

No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Abstract The industrialization of the agricultural sector has increased the chemical burden on natural ecosystems.

Keywords: pesticides, agrochemicals, environmental health, endocrine disruptors, food sovereignty. Introduction Pesticides are substances or mixtures of substances that are mainly used in agriculture or in public health protection programs in order to protect plants from pests, weeds or diseases, and humans from vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and schistosomiasis. Organochlorine Pesticides The most widely known organochlorine pesticide is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, i.

Organophosphorus Pesticides Organophosphates, which were promoted as a more ecological alternative to organochlorines 58 , include a great variety of pesticides, the most common of which is glyphosate. Carbamate Pesticides Carbamate pesticides, such as aldicarb, carbofuran, and ziram, are another class of chemical pesticides that have been associated with endocrine-disrupting activity 10 , 93 , possible reproductive disorders 63 , 93 , and effects on cellular metabolic mechanisms and mitochondrial function Other Classes of Chemical Pesticides Triazines, such as atrazine, simazine, and ametryn, are another class of chemical pesticides that have been related to endocrine-disrupting effects and reproductive toxicity 10 , , Urgent Need toward Cleaner and Safer Agricultural Practices Current agricultural practices include the wide production and extensive use of chemicals known for their ability to cause negative health effects in humans and wildlife and to degrade the natural environment.

Discussion The need for protection against pests is a given and has its roots in antiquity, when both organic and chemical substances were applied as pesticides Conflict of Interest Statement The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References 1. World Health Organization. England: World Health Organization; Alewu B, Nosiri C. Pesticides and human health. In: Stoytcheva M, editor. InTech; Comparison of pesticides in eight U. Environ Toxicol Chem 19 — Canadian Cancer Society.

Cosmetic Pesticides. Information Brief. Johnston JJ. Introduction to Pesticides and Wildlife. Pesticide mixtures, endocrine disruption, and amphibian declines: are we underestimating the impact? Environ Health Perspect — Non-cancer health effects of pesticides. Systematic review and implications for family doctors. Can Fam Physician 53 — Pimentel D, Burgess M. Environmental and economic costs of the application of pesticides primarily in the United States.

In: Pimentel D, Peshin R, editors. Integrated Pest Management. Effect of endocrine disruptor pesticides: a review. Goulson D. Ecology: pesticides linked to bird declines. Nature —6. Distribution and risk assessment of 82 pesticides in Jiulong River and estuary.

Chemosphere — Organochlorine pesticides residue in breast milk: a systematic review. Med J Islam Repub Iran 29 Neurology 42 — Agricultural pesticide use in developing countries: health effects and research needs. Int J Health Serv 27 — Exposures of children to organophosphate pesticides and their potential adverse health effects. Endocrine, immune, and behavioral effects of aldicarb carbamate , atrazine triazine and nitrate fertilizer mixtures at groundwater concentrations.

Toxicol Ind Health 15 — Am J Ind Med 44 — Respiratory diseases and pesticide exposure: a case-control study in Lebanon. J Epidemiol Community Health 60 — Weisenburger DD. Human health effects of agrichemical use. Hum Pathol 24 —6. Glyphosate poisoning. Toxicol Rev 23 — Pesticide exposure: the hormonal function of the female reproductive system disrupted?

Reprod Biol Endocrinol 4 Cancer health effects of pesticides. Systematic review. Pesticides and atopic and nonatopic asthma among farm women in the agricultural health study. Potential developmental neurotoxicity of pesticides used in Europe. Pesticides can also affect groundwater by a process known as leeching. Many people depend on groundwater for their drinking supply, yet, if that water has pesticides in it, it is unsanitary and harmful for the people to drink.

Another way pesticides can spread and cause potential harm is by volatilization. Volatilization occurs when a pesticide turns into a gas or vapor after it has been sprayed, allowing it to travel through the air and spread to different pieces of land. Vapor Drift This can be harmful for wildlife, such as frogs. Some scientists even believe that the pesticide, atrazine , causes reproductive problems in the frogs that affect the frog's biological goal, which is to survive to reproduce.

Not only are pesticides dangerous to the environment, but they are also hazardous to a person's health. Pesticides are stored in your colon , where they slowly but surely poison the body.

You may not realize this, but when you are eating a non-organic apple, you are also eating over 30 different pesticides that have been sprayed on the apple. Even if you wash a piece of fruit, such as an apple, there are still many pesticides lingering on it and they could have seeped into the fruit or vegetable.

Strawberries, apples, carrots, celery, spinach, grapes, apples, cucumbers are just a few types of food that you should not eat if they are not organic because the pesticide level is the highest on them. Pesticides also have the potential to harm the nervous system, the reproductive system, and the endocrine system. Pesticides can even be very harmful to fetuses because the chemicals can pass from the mother during pregnancy or if a woman nurses her child.

Although one piece of fruit with pesticides won't kill you, if they build up in your body, they can be potentially detrimental to your health and should be avoided as much as possible. Now that you are informed about pesticides, it is up to you to make the healthy choices that will lead you, your friends, and your family to a healthier lifestyle. In order to avoid as many pesticides as possible, I grow my own fruits and vegetables in my backyard. By doing this, I know that my food is not being sprayed with chemicals, and it tastes a lot fresher.

For pesticide safety tips, visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency's website and if you have any questions pertaining to pesticides, feel free to ask them in the comment box. Stink Bug- Allan Hack via Flickr.