Recent industry research analyzed by independent scientists indicates that exposure to neonicotinoids, the most prevalent class of pesticides in the U.S., could have detrimental effects on the developing brain, akin to the impacts of nicotine. The findings suggest that these pesticides may significantly shrink brain tissue and cause neuron loss, potentially leading to long-term health issues such as ADHD, slower auditory reflexes, impaired motor skills, behavioral challenges, and delayed sexual maturation in males.
This critical review of pesticide effects will play a role in shaping new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, independent researchers assert that pesticide manufacturers have withheld important information and failed to provide necessary data. They claim that the EPA has drawn overly favorable conclusions based on this incomplete research.
Neonicotinoid residues are often found on produce, raising alarms about potential health risks, particularly for developing children. Nathan Donley, a co-author of the paper from the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed concern over the current levels of exposure deemed safe by the EPA. “If you’re pregnant or hoping to get pregnant, I can say with certainty that the current level of human exposure deemed safe by the EPA is not protective of your future child,” he stated, emphasizing the urgency of the issue.
The EPA acknowledged that it had not yet reviewed the latest study but noted that previous industry research had been independently evaluated and incorporated into its human health risk assessments for neonicotinoids.
These pesticides, which affect over 150 million acres of U.S. farmland, function by disrupting an insect’s nerve synapses, resulting in paralysis and death. However, emerging studies have shown that neonicotinoids also pose risks to non-target species, including pollinators, contributing to the decline of bee populations and other beneficial insects.
Neonicotinoids share a chemical structure with nicotine and influence the same neurotransmitters in humans that are vital for nervous system development. Contrary to previous beliefs that these pesticides only harmed insects, they break down into compounds that may be as potent as nicotine regarding their effects on human health.
Alarmingly, recent studies have detected neonicotinoids in the bodies of over 95% of pregnant women, along with significant levels in human blood and urine. While agricultural workers experience the highest levels of exposure, these pesticides are water-soluble, allowing them to seep into soil and waterways, making their way into drinking water supplies and food.
Under federal law, the EPA is required to review the safety of pesticides every 15 years. However, the independent researchers have raised concerns that many essential data points regarding low- to mid-level exposures in water and food were not submitted by the pesticide industry, despite requests from the EPA. Donley criticized the agency for seemingly moving toward new regulations without sufficient data, claiming that the assertion of safety for mid- to low-level exposures is unfounded.
The EPA has faced scrutiny for potentially overlooking critical data and for instances where its management has overridden scientists' concerns regarding neurotoxic effects. This situation reflects a broader pattern of controversy surrounding the EPA's pesticides division, which has been criticized for its connections to pesticide manufacturers and its reliance on industry funding.
“It’s clear that industry is gaming the system, and we don’t have anyone calling them out on it,” Donley concluded, calling for greater accountability in the regulation of pesticides to protect public health.
No comments:
Post a Comment