Pesticide Combinations Greater Than Sum of Parts | Civil Eats
Pesticide mixtures may increase health risks but are still unregulated by California, UCLA report says
A UCLA study has found that the state agency responsible for protecting Californians from the dangers of pesticides is failing to assess the health risks likely posed by pesticide mixtures, which are believed to be more harmful than individual pesticides.
The report was published by the Sustainable Technology and Policy Program, which is based in UCLA School of Law and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. It recommends the California Department of Pesticide Regulations do more to protect people from the dangers of exposure to multiple pesticides.
“People are exposed throughout their lifetimes to mixtures of chemicals and other agents, including pesticides,” said Timothy Malloy, a professor at the School of Law, faculty director of the Sustainable Technology and Policy Program and one of the report’s authors. “Increasingly, research shows that pesticide mixtures can interact to cause larger-than-anticipated impacts on public health. Farm workers and local residents are especially at risk, given that they may be exposed to two or more pesticides simultaneously or in sequence.”
The study focused on mixtures of three fumigants — chloropicrin, Telone and metam salts — that are frequently used on high-value crops such as strawberries, tomatoes, tree nuts and stone fruits. Used individually, the pesticides are suspected developmental toxins, and are known carcinogens and respiratory irritants.
Pesticide mixtures may increase health risks but are still unregulated by California, UCLA report says
A UCLA study has found that the state agency responsible for protecting Californians from the dangers of pesticides is failing to assess the health risks likely posed by pesticide mixtures, which are believed to be more harmful than individual pesticides.
The report was published by the Sustainable Technology and Policy Program, which is based in UCLA School of Law and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. It recommends the California Department of Pesticide Regulations do more to protect people from the dangers of exposure to multiple pesticides.
“People are exposed throughout their lifetimes to mixtures of chemicals and other agents, including pesticides,” said Timothy Malloy, a professor at the School of Law, faculty director of the Sustainable Technology and Policy Program and one of the report’s authors. “Increasingly, research shows that pesticide mixtures can interact to cause larger-than-anticipated impacts on public health. Farm workers and local residents are especially at risk, given that they may be exposed to two or more pesticides simultaneously or in sequence.”
The study focused on mixtures of three fumigants — chloropicrin, Telone and metam salts — that are frequently used on high-value crops such as strawberries, tomatoes, tree nuts and stone fruits. Used individually, the pesticides are suspected developmental toxins, and are known carcinogens and respiratory irritants.
