Pesticides, Birth Defects and Brain Damage in Children
The recent number of articles in the popular press concerning loss of intellect among children exposed to chlorpyrifos is important in the use of this pesticide. Although in-home use of chlorpyrifos was restricted in the U. S in 2000, it is widely used in agriculture, and is a serious risk to health and intellect for people working and living in proximity to fields. Detectable levels…
New York Aerial Sprays Altosid and VectoBac Pesticides to Combat Zika
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is spraying city neighborhoods against mosquitoes that may carry and spread the Zika virus, which officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) have concluded is the cause of the infant birth defect microcephaly. New York City public health officials…
The Environmental Tragedies of Vaccines
Concerns over the physiological effects of vaccines on humans are widely discussed but the public conversation about vaccine risks rarely focuses on the detrimental impact on our environment? Unfortunately, vaccines not only cause harm to individuals but also pose serious threats to our environment and ecosystems—an issue that deserves more attention…
Study Links DDT Exposure and Breast Cancer
A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism has found a strong link between exposure to the chemical pesticide DDT and cancer. The research findings, reported by NBC News, shows that women whose mothers had DDT in their blood while pregnant were almost four times more likely to develop breast cancer than their counterparts.
Pyrethroid Pesticides May Increase Risk for ADHD
The natural insecticidal properties of pyrethrum, a chemical group found in the Chrysanthemum Cinerariifollum (a flower from the same genus as the common daisy) have been recognized at least since around 1800, when it appears in Chinese history. By 1845, bales of the dried flowers were being imported into the U.S., primarily for use against body lice and crawling…
Bees Getting Buzzed on Deadly Neonicotinoids
The buzzword has been that neonicotinoids, the most widely used pesticide on earth, may be a significant contributor to the growing problem of the disappearing honeybee. Discussing two studies from the journal Nature, NPR correspondent Allison Aubrey recently reported that part of the reason the neonics are so widely used is that they are easy to…