New analysis warns of non-agricultural pesticides

July 27, 1994
Issue 

The California Policy Seminar (CPS), a joint program of the University of California and the California state government, released in June "Pesticides in the Home and Community: Health Risks and Policy Alternatives", targeting the extensive use of pesticides in and around homes, workplaces and public areas. In response to the growing concern around issues of urban exposure, the authors analyse use patterns, risks and policy alternatives related to non-agricultural pesticides.

Public policy concerning pesticides and health risks has traditionally focused on agricultural use and food residues, with little emphasis on urban exposure.

CPS recognised the need to focus attention on the hazards of pesticide use in homes and communities, where hundreds of millions of pounds are applied annually. Approximately 70 million pounds of consumer pesticides were sold in the US in 1991, accounting for an estimated 6% of that year's total pesticide use.

In California alone, tens of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals are applied each year in and around homes, workplaces, schools and public spaces. Nearly 6000 non-agricultural pesticide poisonings were reported in California in 1984-1990, a figure similar to the number of known cases among farm workers.

The authors explain that pesticide use in the home and community can be more intensive than agricultural use and may create an environment for multiple and cumulative exposure to toxic chemicals, for which there is insignificant data regarding long-term health effects.

The report's findings include:

  • Approximately 9 million pounds of pesticides are used each year to control structural pests in California. Between 1984 and 1990, 849 documented pesticide illnesses were associated with structural fumigation in the state. Methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride are responsible for 60% of the total fumigants applied during 1990 and 1991. Methyl bromide, which is slowly being phased out because it is a potent ozone destroyer, is highly toxic to humans and has been determined to cause birth defects in laboratory animals.

  • Commercial landscape maintenance in California accounts for 1.5 million pounds of pesticides used each year. Despite the lower acute toxicity of landscape pesticides compared to structural pesticides, 224 of the reported pesticide illnesses between 1984 and 1990 were associated with landscape maintenance.

  • Consumer use may also pose significant risks. The substances most frequently associated with adverse health effects include insecticidal foggers and other insecticides, disinfectant and cleaning products and herbicides. Most consumers are uninformed about the risks posed to themselves and their children when they use and store these products in and around the home. The San Francisco Regional Poison Control Center received more than 4000 calls relating to non-agricultural pesticide exposure in 1991 and 1992, of which 956 resulted in documented health problems.

The authors recommend an approach to controlling the hazards of urban exposure based on the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). They emphasise the need to broaden the definition of IPM to include long-term sustainable methods of urban pest control.

"The role and responsibilities of the governmental agencies need to be reconceptualized from one of regulatory micromanagement to one of establishing targets for pesticide use reduction." The authors support the development and promotion of least-toxic alternatives as well as more substantial taxes based on chemical toxicity levels to encourage both commercial applicators and consumers "to get off the urban pesticide treadmill".
[From Pesticide Action Network Updates Service (US).]

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