Pesticide use in the United States
Encyclopedia
Pesticide
use in the United States
is predominantly by the agricultural sector. and about a quarter of pesticide
s used are used in houses, yards, parks, golf courses, and swimming pools.
In 2006 the EPA concluded that the triazine herbicides posed "no harm that would result to the general U.S. population, infants, children or other... consumers."
EPA concluded in 2007 that atrazine does not adversely affect amphibian gonadal development based on a review of laboratory and field studies, including studies submitted by the registrant and studies published in the scientific literature. At this time, EPA believes that no additional testing is warranted to address this issue."
A 2010 study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey observed substantial adverse reproductive effects on fish from atrazine exposure at concentrations below the USEPA water-quality guideline.
. The ban on DDT is cited by scientists as a major factor in the comeback of the bald eagle
in the continental United States.
(FIFRA) was first passed in 1947, giving the United States Department of Agriculture
responsibility for regulating pesticides. In 1972, FIFRA underwent a major revision and transferred responsibility of pesticide regulation to the Environmental Protection Agency
and shifted emphasis to protection of the environment and public health.
The National Academy of Sciences
estimates that between 4,000 and 20,000 cases of cancer are caused per year by pesticide residues in food in allowable amounts.
The United States Department of Agriculture
and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
estimate that between 6 and 14 million fish are killed by pesticides each year in the US.
s of frogs, and that use of these pesticides is correlated with a decline in the population of frogs in the Sierra Nevada.
Some scientists believe that certain common pesticides already exist at levels capable of killing amphibians in California
. They warn that the breakdown products of these pesticides can be 10 to 100 times more toxic to amphibians than the original pesticides. Direct contact of sprays of some pesticides (either by drift from nearby applications or accidental or deliberate sprays) can be highly lethal to amphibians.
Being downwind from agricultural land on which pesticides are used has been linked to the decline in population of threatened
frog species in California.
In Minnesota
, pesticide use has been causally linked to congenital deformities in frogs such as eye, mouth, and limb malformations. Researchers in California found that similar deformities in frogs in the US and Canada may have been caused by breakdown products from pesticides which themselves did not pose a threat.
is the largest tester of pesticide residues on food sold in the United States. It began in 1991, and has since tested over 60 different types of food for over 400 different types of pesticides - with samples collected close to the point of consumption. Their most recent summary results are from the year 2005:
For example, on page 30 is comprehensive data on pesticides on fruits. Some example data:
They were also able to test for multiple pesticides within a single sample and found that:
The Environmental Working Group
(EWG) used the results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) between 2000 and 2004, to produce a ranking of 43 commonly eaten fruits & vegetables.
s is one solution which arose in the U.S. during the 1970s. Because they are designed to withstand rain, pesticides often don't wash off with plain water or only wash off partially, and fruits and vegetables are sometimes waxed over pesticides. Fruit and vegetables should be washed with a dilute solution of vinegar
or dishwashing soap which will remove most of the residues. Other pesticides go into the plant itself and can't be washed away (as in, for example, strawberries).
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
use in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is predominantly by the agricultural sector. and about a quarter of pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
s used are used in houses, yards, parks, golf courses, and swimming pools.
Atrazine
About 76000000 pounds (34,473 t) of atrazine were applied in the United States in 2003. The U.S. EPA said in the 2003 Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision, "The total or national economic impact resulting from the loss of atrazine to control grass and broadleaf weeds in corn, sorghum and sugar cane would be in excess of $2 billion per year if atrazine were unavailable to growers." In the same report, it added the "yield loss plus increased herbicide cost may result in an average estimated loss of $28 per acre" if atrazine were unavailable to corn farmers.In 2006 the EPA concluded that the triazine herbicides posed "no harm that would result to the general U.S. population, infants, children or other... consumers."
EPA concluded in 2007 that atrazine does not adversely affect amphibian gonadal development based on a review of laboratory and field studies, including studies submitted by the registrant and studies published in the scientific literature. At this time, EPA believes that no additional testing is warranted to address this issue."
A 2010 study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey observed substantial adverse reproductive effects on fish from atrazine exposure at concentrations below the USEPA water-quality guideline.
DDT
The use of DDT in the United States is banned, except for a limited exemption for public health uses. The ban is due in a large part to Rachael Carson's book Silent SpringSilent Spring
Silent Spring is a book written by Rachel Carson and published by Houghton Mifflin on 27 September 1962. The book is widely credited with helping launch the environmental movement....
. The ban on DDT is cited by scientists as a major factor in the comeback of the bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
in the continental United States.
Regulation
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide ActFederal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act , et seq. is a United States federal law that set up the basic U.S. system of pesticide regulation to protect applicators, consumers, and the environment. It is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and the appropriate...
(FIFRA) was first passed in 1947, giving the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
responsibility for regulating pesticides. In 1972, FIFRA underwent a major revision and transferred responsibility of pesticide regulation to the Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
and shifted emphasis to protection of the environment and public health.
Issues
Pesticides were found to pollute every stream and over 90% of wells sampled in a study by the US Geological Survey. Pesticide residues have also been found in rain and groundwater.The National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
estimates that between 4,000 and 20,000 cases of cancer are caused per year by pesticide residues in food in allowable amounts.
The United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
estimate that between 6 and 14 million fish are killed by pesticides each year in the US.
Birds
The USDA and USFWS estimate that over 67 million birds are killed by pesticides each year in the US.Amphibians
US scientists have found that some pesticides used in farming disrupt the nervous systemNervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
s of frogs, and that use of these pesticides is correlated with a decline in the population of frogs in the Sierra Nevada.
Some scientists believe that certain common pesticides already exist at levels capable of killing amphibians in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They warn that the breakdown products of these pesticides can be 10 to 100 times more toxic to amphibians than the original pesticides. Direct contact of sprays of some pesticides (either by drift from nearby applications or accidental or deliberate sprays) can be highly lethal to amphibians.
Being downwind from agricultural land on which pesticides are used has been linked to the decline in population of threatened
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
frog species in California.
In Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, pesticide use has been causally linked to congenital deformities in frogs such as eye, mouth, and limb malformations. Researchers in California found that similar deformities in frogs in the US and Canada may have been caused by breakdown products from pesticides which themselves did not pose a threat.
Pesticide residue in food
The Pesticide Data Program, a program started by the United States Department of AgricultureUnited States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
is the largest tester of pesticide residues on food sold in the United States. It began in 1991, and has since tested over 60 different types of food for over 400 different types of pesticides - with samples collected close to the point of consumption. Their most recent summary results are from the year 2005:
For example, on page 30 is comprehensive data on pesticides on fruits. Some example data:
| Fresh Fruit and Vegetables | Number of Samples Analyzed | Samples with Residues Detected | Percent of Samples with Detections | Different Pesticides Detected | Different Residues Detected | Total Residue Detections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | 774 | 727 | 98 | 33 | 41 | 2,619 |
| Lettuce | 743 | 657 | 88 | 47 | 57 | 1,985 |
| Pears | 741 | 643 | 87 | 31 | 35 | 1,309 |
| Orange Juice | 186 | 93 | 50 | 3 | 3 | 94 |
They were also able to test for multiple pesticides within a single sample and found that:
- These data indicate that 29.5 percent of all samples tested contained no detectable pesticides [parent
- compound and metabolite(s) combined], 30 percent contained 1 pesticide, and slightly over 40 percent
- contained more than 1 pesticide. - page 34.
The Environmental Working Group
Environmental Working Group
The Environmental Working Group is an American environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability...
(EWG) used the results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
(USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA) between 2000 and 2004, to produce a ranking of 43 commonly eaten fruits & vegetables.
2009
The EWG list from 2009 is a "Dirty Dozen" and a "Clean 15" based on pesticide tests from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the FDA. Buying organic foodOrganic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
s is one solution which arose in the U.S. during the 1970s. Because they are designed to withstand rain, pesticides often don't wash off with plain water or only wash off partially, and fruits and vegetables are sometimes waxed over pesticides. Fruit and vegetables should be washed with a dilute solution of vinegar
Vinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
or dishwashing soap which will remove most of the residues. Other pesticides go into the plant itself and can't be washed away (as in, for example, strawberries).
Dirty Dozen
- Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Nectarines (imported)
- Grapes (imported)
- Sweet bell peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries (domestic)
- Lettuce
- Kale/collard greens
Clean 15
- Onions
- Sweet corn
- Pineapples
- Avocados
- Asparagus
- Sweet peas
- Mangoes
- Eggplant
- Cantaloupe (domestic)
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Sweet potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Mushrooms
See also
- National Pesticide Information CenterNational Pesticide Information CenterThe National Pesticide Information Center is a collaboration between Oregon State University and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to provide objective, science-based information about a wide variety of pesticide-related topics, including: pesticide product information, information...
- ChitosanChitosanChitosan is a linear polysaccharide composed of randomly distributed β--linked D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine...
(Natural Biocontrol for Agricultural & Horticultural use) - Environmental issues in the United StatesEnvironmental issues in the United StatesAs with many other countries there are a number of environmental issues in the United States.-Climate change:The United States is the second largest emitter, after China, of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. The energy policy of the United States is widely debated; many call on the...
- Environment of the United StatesEnvironment of the United StatesThe environment of the United States comprises diverse biotas, climates, and geologies. Environmental regulations and the environmental movement have emerged to respond to the various threats to the environment.-Animals:...
- Fungicide use in the United StatesFungicide use in the United States- Alternaria leaf spot :Symptoms of Alternaria leaf spot appear as lesions with tan spots on the leaves. The centers of these lesions become black with fungal sporulation. This infection can lead to tree death within 3–4 years of the first serious outbreak. Orchards in high humidity areas result in...
- Light brown apple moth controversyLight brown apple moth controversyThe Light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae. The insect is regarded as an herbivorous generalist, and the larvae consume numerous horticultural crops in Australia and New Zealand...
External links
- United States Environmental Protection Agency - Pesticides page
- Centers for Disease Control - Compiled information on health effects of pesticides.
- United States Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Data Program
- Pesticide Residues in Food - Data and Summary reports from the USDAUnited States Department of AgricultureThe United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
on pesticide residues in food sold in the United States. - Pesticides: Use, Effects, and Alternatives to Pesticides in Schools (pdf) from the United States General Accounting Office
- Croplifeamerica.org, - US trade association representing the crop protectionCrop protectionCrop protection is the branch of horticulture concerned with protecting crops from pests, weeds, disease and theft.It encompasses:* Pesticide-based approaches such as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides...
and pest control industry - 1997US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program pesticide use map - shows estimates of pesticide type and intensity of pesticide use by business of mass food production.
- All Supporting Agro-Chemical Manufacturers a list of United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pesticide labels for pesticides by trade name.* A Persistent Controversy, a Still Valid Warning - May Berenbaum, head of the entomology department at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign