Chemical Capture: The Power and Impact of the Pesticide Industry
How the agrichemical industry is shaping public information about the toxicity of pesticides, how they’re being used, and the policies that impact the health of all Americans.
March 27, 2024 | Source: Civil Eats | by Lisa Held
From Washington to Pennsylvania, farmers diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease have filed lawsuits against the maker of a popular herbicide, based on research that shows a potential link between the chemical and the disease. In California, researchers have connected insecticide exposure that farmworkers’ children experienced in the womb to a higher risk of behavioral problems into adolescence.
In Mead, Nebraska, one company’s handling of discarded seeds coated with the most common insecticides in the country led to water, air, and soil contamination that killed bees and other animals. Researchers are currently studying how the levels of the chemicals found in area homes might impact residents’ long-term health. At the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, officials found those same insecticides are likely to harm as many as three-quarters of the country’s endangered plants and animals.