A recently released study has discovered that children who are exposed to commonly used pesticides have significantly reduced lung function. The damage is so bad that the closest comparison would be lungs who have been steadily exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke.
Researchers from UC Berkeley’s CHAMACOS project in California’s central coast region measured proper lung function in 279 children. They discovered that higher levels of lung damage was a product of organophosphate pesticides in the children’s bodies. This led to a steep drop in exhalation rates – about 8% less air.
After this study was released, the policy director for the Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), Kristin Schafer, and co-author of A Generation in Jeopardy: How Pesticides Are Undermining Our Children’s Health and Intelligence, released the following statement:
“For years, pediatricians have warned that children are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of agricultural pesticides. This latest study confirms — yet again — that these chemicals are harming children right now in communities across the country.
“It took a lawsuit to finally prompt EPA to take action on chlorpyrifos, one of the worst offenders — and they’re still not doing nearly enough. And after more than a decade, we’re pressing the agency to implement a full and rapid ban of this dangerous pesticide, and protect children from exposure to similar pesticides as well.
“In California, we’re urging state officials to support ‘agricultural innovation zones’ around schools in rural areas, to replace child-harming pesticides with safer, more sustainable farming. As this latest study shows, action to protect our children is long overdue.”
Another study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that 487 elementary schools across America are within 200 feet of a corn or soybean field. These crops are commonly GMO crops and are doused with harmful pesticides and herbicides like Monsanto’s Roundup. This is alarming because children are very vulnerable to the chemicals in these pesticides and herbicides.
The EWG has found that children 12 and under are at the biggest risk of developing issues related to exposure from pesticide and herbicide use. The two biggest culprits are Monsanto’s Roundup and Dow AgroScience’s Enlist Duo. There is even evidence that shows how a dramatic lessening of the use of these harmful products still has a significant negative effect on young children over older children.
Not only are these chemical-laden products affecting the lungs of young children, they are linked to a slew of other deadly diseases. Different cancers, Parkinson’s disease, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, reproductive and immune system problems have all been well documented to be associated with Monsanto and Dow AgroScience.
There is a stack of evidence as to why consuming food that is grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides is far better for you, but now it seems that it isn’t enough to protect yourself from these harmful chemicals. Currently, the 10 states whose young are most at risk are Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Kansas, and Pennsylvania.
It is estimated that by 2020 the use of these pesticides and herbicides are going to grow 3-to-7 times more than current levels. The government needs to be made aware of how the bills and actions that they allow are harmful to future generations and put our world at risk. Let your voice be heard by buying organic and supporting local farmers because change begins with us.
SOURCE: http://www.ewg.org/agmag/2014/08/elementary-school-students-increased-pesticide-risk
http://commondreams.org/newswire/2015/12/03/new-study-child-harming-pesticides-should-spur-state-national-action?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
