Preparing for a Bug-Busting Summer

A large group of ants decided to invade our bathroom recently. I quickly constructed my borax/sugar trap, and within two days the ants were gone.

Homemade Ant Trap

• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon borax

Combine ingredients in small dish. Dip cotton ball in mixture. Place on jar lid or directly on floor.

I tried honey instead of sugar and didn't find it as effective. I used the whitest sugar I had for extra enticement.

After the final ant disappeared, I sprayed the area with homemade peppermint spray and sprinkled some dusting powder for added prevention.

Peppermint Spray

Fill spray bottle with water. Add 1 teaspoon liquid castile soap and 10 drops peppermint essential oil.

All-Purpose Pesticide Powder

• 1/2 cup bay leaves
• 1/2 cup peppermint leaves
• 1.5 teaspoon each citrus peel, garlic powder, diatomaceous earth, cayenne pepper, pyrethrum, salt

So far, so good. It looks like any remaining ants have headed back outside. If they return, I'll be ready!

For more helpful bug-busting recipes, see momsAWARE's downloadable Pest-Punching Printout.

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Water Quality Report

"What's in my water?" I have asked this question only in recent years. Most of my life has been spent in blind belief and trust. Now that I understand the relationship between environment and health, I have a keen interest not only in air and food quality, but also in the safety of our water supply. Therefore when I received our local water company's Annual Water Quality Report last spring, I opened it with new eyes. The Table of Contaminants alone covers three pages. Categories include: microbiological contaminants, radionuclides, lead and copper, inorganic contaminants, synthetic organic contaminants, and volatile organic contaminants.

Here is an excerpt from the Synthetic Organic Contaminants page. (Click on image for larger view.)

I find the "Likely Sources of Contamination" column unsettling. Residue of banned termiticide. Runoff from insecticides. Discharge from chemical factories. Leaching of soil fumigant. I find no comfort in the fact that the levels of contaminants fall within "safe limits."

Heptachlor and chlordane have been banned for decades, and yet are in my water supply in 2013.

2,4-D is directly linked with nervous system damage. Glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup, has been linked to endocrine disruption in frogs as well as people.

With two other pages filled with contaminants such as benzene, styrene, toluene, and PCBs, all unique to modern times, I'm unwilling to assume that all is well with my tap water.

If you're interested in seeing what's in your water, the Environmental Working Group offers this National Drinking Water Database. Earthworks also provides a helpful fact sheet on Understanding Your Water and Air Tests.

Where does this leave us in terms of water filtration? Options abound and are often confusing. Our family currently uses the Berkey water filter shown below.

The best bet is to find raw water from a spring that is gravity-fed. These are more plentiful than you might expect. FindaSpring.com offers a helpful database. I was shocked to discover one within 45 minutes of our Arizona home!

As I consider our water company's annual report, the growing controversy surrounding hydraulic fracturing (used to drill for natural gas), and the explosive growth of genetically modified crops, I have to agree with author and marine biologist Rachel Carson that the indiscriminate use of pesticides and other chemicals will have long-term implications.

This post shared at Wordless Wednesday

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Aerial Spraying in Texas: Five Questions

The mayor of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, exercised his emergency powers last week and agreed to allow aerial mosquito spraying in response to the West Nile virus outbreak.

Photo courtesy of The Dallas Morning News

Residents were encouraged to minimize exposure by closing windows, keeping pets inside, and avoid being outside.

As an onlooker, I find myself asking questions about this news story. I no longer accept conventional health information without thinking through the issues. In the years prior to our unfortunate toxicology lesson, I would not have considered asking questions. Now I know better.

Here are five questions I have about the aerial spraying in Texas, along with carefully researched answers.

1. What is in the pesticide?
   
   Answer: The product used for the aerial spraying consists of a compound known as Duet. Duet is manufactured by Clarke, a pesticide company based in Chicago. It is a combined mixture of sumithrin and prallethrin. Both of these are considered pyrethroids, derived from chrysanthemum flowers. This sounds innocent enough. However, according to the following fact sheet offered by the organization Beyond Pesticides:
   
   

   Almost all synthetic pyrethroid mosquito products use synergists like piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a petroleum distillate, which increases potency and compromises the body's ability to detoxify the pesticide. Petroleum distillates are carcinogenic and linked to birth defects and other illnesses.

   The information on pyrethroids says nothing about the inert ingredients of the product, which generally are not made public and contain numerous hazardous chemicals.
2. Does this method of pest control work?
   
   Answer: I don't have a PhD in toxicology to know the answer to this question, so I asked toxicologist Dr. Jack Thrasher for his opinion:
   
   

   As has been published by the experts, spraying does not kill all of the adults nor does it kill the mosquito larvae. Larval-eating fish and draining of ponds are the most effective methods.

   Dr. Thrasher cites Beyond Pesticides' article West Nile Virus/Mosquito Management.
   
   Licensed pest control operator Gene Helmick-Richardson has a PhD in Entomology and actively opposes aerial spraying. In his blog titled Why Aerial Spraying for Mosquitos is a Terrible Plan, Richardson states, "I oppose any widespread spraying of adulticides for mosquito control because it simply doesn't work. It is a waste of time and resources when we should be focused on scientifically proven strategies to control this problem."
   
   The organization No Spray Nashville looked at 14 communities with mosquito control programs in place. Seven of them sprayed pesticides as a regular part of their programs. The other seven communities did not. The study, conducted in the years 2002 and 2003, found that:
   
   

   The communities that sprayed had an average of 1.37 people with West Nile virus per 100,000. The communities that didn't spray had 1.19 people with West Nile virus per 100,000. The results show no significant difference in West Nile virus rates between communities that spray and those that don't.

3. What are the environmental implications?
   
   Answer: There are more questions than answers. Intuitively we know that if our goal is to kill the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus, surely we risk killing beneficial insects as well. If we reduce the number of beneficial insects, don't we risk increasing the bad ones? Clarke, the manufacturer of Duet, admits that the spray is toxic to honeybees. We know that honeybees are essential for the pollination of many fruits and vegetables. (The local CBS affiliate's story West Nile Spraying Could Affect North Texas Bees discusses this in detail.)
   
   Texas A&M is attempting to track the environmental impact by offering a survey to local residents, stating:
   
   

   The survey is designed to be completed approximately one week after completion of aerial spraying. This delay is necessary because we would like you to have enough time to assess impact over several days, since insect populations are naturally variable from day to day.

   If we used non-toxic methods for mosquito control, would we need such a survey?
4. What are the health implications?
   
   Answer: Pyrethroids are known endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), a class of chemicals that researchers have recently found can mix up critical hormonal signals even in extremely small amounts. This defies the traditional toxicological premise that more exposure means higher risk. The American Medical Association is already calling for reduced exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. A study released this spring by the Endocrine Society concludes:
   
   

   Whether low doses of EDCs influence certain human disorders is no longer conjecture, because epidemiological studies show that environmental exposures to EDCs are associated with human diseases and disabilities.

   Many of these effects wouldn't be noticed for years, even decades, which makes the benefit/risk evaluation difficult if not impossible.
5. Are there alternatives to aerial spraying?
   
   Answer: There are a number of options. According to Dr. Gene Helmick-Richardson (article cited above):
   
   

   It starts with controlling the breeding sites. All stagnant water pools in the area should be located and either drained, treated with larvacides, or populated with mosquito fish. Educational programs like NY's Fight the Bite program and similar outreach programs have proven effective in preventing exposure and limiting populations of mosquitoes. The manpower and expense involved in such programs, which include stricter code enforcement, free distribution of larvacides, and even door-to-door visits by volunteers or trained staff are not very high when compared to the cost of aerial pesticide application. And besides, they actually work.

   Beyond Pesticides provides an outstanding fact sheet titled Backyard Mosquito Management, offering numerous non-toxic suggestions for mosquito control. Don't miss these options if you're fighting your own mosquito battle this summer!

Concluding thoughts:

Even without convincing research, I would oppose aerial spraying. Planes spraying small doses of hazardous chemicals above my home violates my freedom to choose what is best for my family. My home's ecosystem, our pets, and our children are all at risk without my permission.

A practice I'm willing to question.

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All-Natural Pest Control

We had an ant invasion recently. It was reminiscent of the week we moved in, nearly three years ago. (See this previous post.)

We learned the hard way that even those innocent-looking ant traps emit harmful vapors. Eventually we called our eco-friendly pest control operator, who saved the day. After he sprayed his proprietary blend of botanical solutions, the ants disappeared.

This time I used a homemade ant trap and an all-purpose pesticide powder. Our antagonists were gone within 24 hours. The recipes below can be used for a variety of invaders and may prove helpful for your own pest challenge!

1. All-Purpose Pesticide Powder
   
   • 1/2 c. bay leaves
   • 1/2 c. peppermint leaves
   • 1 1/2 tsp. each citrus peel, garlic powder, diatomaceous earth, cayenne pepper, pyrethrum, salt
   Grind the ingredients into a powder using a blender or mortar and pestle. Dust along affected areas.
2. Homemade Ant Trap
   
   
   • 1 tbsp. hot water
   • 1 tbsp. honey or sugar
   • 1/2 tsp. borax
   Place the ingredients in a small glass jar and shake to mix. Soak a cotton ball in the mixture, slightly squeeze out the excess liquid, and put the cotton ball on a small lid. Place the ant trap where you see the most ants. After the ants have disappeared, discard the cotton ball and keep the lid for reuse.
3. Neem Oil Insectide
   
   • 1 qt. warm water
   • 2 tsp. dishwashing liquid
   • 5 tsp. neem oil
   Mix water and dishwashing liquid. Slowly add the neem oil while stirring the mixture vigorously. Don't prepare more of the neem oil insecticide than you'll need, as it will lose its potency if stored. (1 oz. neem oil mixed with 10 oz. coconut oil makes an excellent mosquito repellent!)
4. All-Purpose Onion/Garlic/Cayenne Spray
   
   • 1 garlic bulb, chopped or ground
   • 1 small onion, chopped or ground
   • 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
   • 1 qt. boiling water
   • 1 tbsp. liquid castile soap
   Mix garlic, onion, cayenne pepper and water; add liquid soap. Shake and pour into spray bottle. Freeze for long-term storage.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar Jar
   
   Pour an inch or so of apple cider vinegar into the bottom of a wide-mouth jar. Make a funnel with a sheet of white paper with a 3/4-inch hole on the bottom. The bottom should not touch the vinegar. Place the funnel into the jar and tape edges to secure the funnel to the jar. Effective against fruit flies and gnats.

For more all-natural pesticide ideas, see momsAWARE's Bug-Busting Bonanza and downloadable recipe list, the Pest-Punching Printout.

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Toxic Talk Tuesday Tomorrow!

Have an ant problem? Wondering how to deter those pesky mice? Want to avoid the use of chemicals when battling those inevitable summer bug problems? Don't miss our next Toxic Talk as we discuss the hidden dangers of chemical pest control and unveil our Bug-Busting Bonanza! Join Chris and me on Chris Fabry Live! on Moody Radio at 2:00 p.m. Central time, or visit the website to listen online or download the podcast.

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Toxic Talk Tuesday Today!

Join my husband Chris and me today on Chris Fabry Live! for our Toxic Talk Tuesday: Pests and Lawn Care Edition! How can you have a nice safe lawn? How do you get rid of the not-so-pleasant bugs without endangering your pets, your kids, and yourself? Join us for an enlightening conversation and a few challenging quiz questions to test your pesticide/herbicide awareness! We're live on Moody Radio at 2:00 p.m. Central time, or visit the Chris Fabry Live! website to listen via audio stream or podcast.

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The Hidden Costs of a Weed-Free Lawn

Evidence continues to mount that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the popular weed killer Roundup, is potentially toxic. A recent report by Earth Open Source suggests that glyphosate causes birth defects in the embryos of laboratory animals.

Pesticide Action Network's paper on glyphosate suggests toxicity, as well.

Glyphosate is sprayed on numerous crops and plantations, including nearly 80% of genetically modified (GM) crops (canola, corn, cotton, soybean, sugar beet), with relatively high levels permitted as residues in food and animal feed. It is used as a pre-harvest desiccant, and because it is a systemic herbicide, it cannot be completely removed from food by washing, peeling, or processing. It is widely used in home gardens and public places including roadsides. Human exposure is widespread and constantly recurring.

. . .

Glyphosate is assumed by regulators to have no neurological effects—the US EPA did not require neurotoxicity studies to be carried out for the registration of Roundup. However, there is emerging evidence that glyphosate can affect the nervous system, and in particular, areas of the brain associated with Parkinson’s disease. In one case study glyphosate exposure was linked to "symmetrical parkinsonian syndrome." An epidemiological study of children identified a link with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup, denies that any adverse health issues are associated with the use of glyphosate. In their blog post dated June 9, 2011, Monsanto says:

Regulatory agencies around the world have concluded that glyphosate is not a reproductive toxin or teratogen (cause of birth defects) based on in-depth review of the comprehensive data sets available. Additionally, we have anecdotal results from first-hand experience of millions of farmers and home gardeners who have used this product for decades. Roundup agricultural herbicide provides environmental and economic benefits of conservation tillage which are sustainable and provide effective weed management.

Information is often conflicting when it comes to chemicals and health. For those who choose to be cautious and eliminate the use of Roundup, alternatives do exist. In our next post we'll explore some safe, natural ways to create a healthy lawn without the use of chemical pesticides.

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Environmental Awareness in Canada

It took three years to diagnose her mysterious symptoms, and ten years to reduce her toxic load, but Rohini Peris used her experience to form the Environmental Health Association of Quebec. According to this recent article in the Montreal Gazette:

When inflammation, bruises and pain began appearing in her body in 1993, Rohini Peris had no idea what might have been the cause.

She saw several doctors and they too were stumped, Peris recalled.

Three years later, the Dollard des Ormeaux resident finally got a diagnosis: Tests at a U.S. laboratory revealed high levels of the chemical Lindane (a chlorinated pesticide used to exterminate spiders) and pesticides DDT and DDE in her blood.

Her husband, son and daughter exhibited similar symptoms, and what followed were 10 years of intense detoxification to eliminate these chemicals from their bodies.

They suffered from what is known as environmental/multiple chemical sensitivities, a chronic condition with multi-organ symptoms recognized in Ontario and Nova Scotia and by the World Health Organization – but not yet in Quebec.

According to the Environmental Health Association of Quebec, which seeks to promote awareness of this condition, it can develop in response to relatively low levels of exposure to multiple and unrelated chemicals.

Peris, who is the association president, says it took her 10 years of “intense detoxification” and elimination of many products from her household – from cleaning products to perfumes – to get her toxification down by 40 percent.

The Environmental Health Association website offers information on EMF sensitivities, an article by MCS researcher Dr. Martin Pall, and an excellent press release stating the specific needs of people suffering from environmental sensitivities.

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EPA and Clothianidin

The 29th National Pesticide Forum convenes this week in Colorado. The forum will address numerous health and environmental concerns, including the pesticide clothianidin. Clothianidin has been banned in Europe, but is used extensively in the United States. As of 2007, 80 percent of corn seed sold by market leader Pioneer Hi-Bred (DuPont) contained either 0.25 or 1.25 mg per seed of clothianidin.

Tom Theobald is one of the Pesticide Forum's keynote speakers. As a beekeeper and researcher, Theobald is concerned about the hazards of clothianidin. Theobald wrote the following essay shortly after last summer's oil spill.

As I’ve listened to the news and read the articles describing events leading up to the explosion I’m struck by the parallel to what has been occurring in the beekeeping world over the past several years.

In May of 2008 there were massive bee kills in the Baden-Wurttemberg region of Germany, with two thirds of the colonies there killed. The damage was quickly traced to one of the pesticides in the controversial family of neonicotinoids produced by the German corporation Bayer. Planting of corn seed coated with clothianidin, by way of pneumatic planters, supposedly resulted in fugitive clothianidin dust which caused the disaster. Within two weeks Germany banned clothianidin on corn and several other crops, but the damage was done.

Clothianidin is just one of a number of pesticides in the family of neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids are systemic pesticides, which means that they become incorporated into the system of the plant when the seed germinates. In the United States clothianidin was given a conditional registration by the EPA in 2003. Originally approved for use as a seed coating on corn and canola, it is now being approved for a growing list of other crops as well.

It appears that two years later we have now had a repeat of this "rare event," this time here in the United States. This bee kill occured in Indiana in April (2010), reported by two entomologists at Purdue University in an article written for the Indiana Beekeepers Association newsletter and circulated widely. Titled "Pesticide Kill at the Purdue Bee Lab?," it reports a significant bee kill across Indiana, again believed to have come from fugitive dust from pneumatic corn planters.

According to these two entomologists, "Every corn seed that goes into the ground in Indiana these days has a coating of clothianidin on it. It has been a dry spring. We have had very warm, windy weather this week. As I watched my neighbor planting, I could see huge clouds of dust being stirred up." As researchers at a major university, the authors had the resources to do some immediate analysis that would have been beyond the reach of most beekeepers, and they found high levels of clothianidin in the dead bees and the incoming pollen.

Along with other beekeepers, I have been concerned about clothianidin for some time, in part because it is not the first neonicotinoid to cause problems. Imidacloprid, the first, was registered in the U.S. in 1994 and was soon implicated in widespread bee kills. Several commercial beekeepers in North Dakota filed suit because of damage from imidacloprid used on sunflowers, and similar damage in France from use on sunflowers led to a ban there in 1999. However it is still used without change in the U.S. France declined to even register clothianidin.

. . .

Further concerns are emerging as a consequence of the Indiana bee kill. High levels of atrazine were found in the dead bees and pollen along with clothianidin. This suggests that dust alone may be a vector, with the atrazine contamination coming from airborne soil. We now find evidence, again from the EPA’s own documents, that clothianidin can be persistent in the soil, remaining for years in some cases, and that it may accumulate from successive uses of treated seed, a common practice in the corn belt. Has the soil itself become a source of toxicity as a consequence of clothianidin use? Only further tests will give us answers to those questions.

Theobald concludes,

The bees are telling us something. We need to start listening before it’s too late.

To which I add, chronic illness is rising dramatically. The cancers, autism, diabetes, and other chronic conditions are telling us something. How long before we connect the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat to our health and the health of our children?

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National Healthy Schools Day

Healthy Schools Network, in collaboration with U.S. EPA and the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI), has declared Monday, April 26, 2010 "National Healthy Schools Day."

What are the signs of an unhealthy school? According to the Healthy Schools Network website, your school has an environmental problem if:

· The roof leaks.

· The building is new or newly renovated and still smells like paint, varnish, or glue.

· The building smells damp or musty.

· Your child has health or learning problems ONLY during the school day.

· The building and grounds are routinely treated with pesticides.


WHAT TO ASK YOUR SCHOOL

· Do you prevent pests without the use of chemicals?

· How do you promote good indoor air quality?

· Do you tell parents and employees in advance of hazards, such as renovation or pesticide application?

· How do you respond to complaints?

· Are the heating, lighting, ventilation, windows, doors, and buses energy efficient?


Nancy Swan was injured more than two decades ago while teaching at a junior high school. The following article appears in Southern Mississippi's Sun Herald in honor of National Healthy Schools Day.

As a teacher in Mississippi, I suffered permanent damage to my eyes, respiratory system and nervous system when the Long Beach School Board allowed a contractor to apply a spray-on foam roof during the school day. A thousand children and personnel were exposed to some of the most toxic chemicals manufactured, including toluene diisocyanate, which causes asthma. Two dozen children and teachers were also injured.

My injury was not an isolated incident. The EPA reports that 50 percent of the nation’s public and private schools have problems linked to poor indoor air quality that endanger the health of children and personnel, and that “students are at greater risk because of the hours spent in school facilities and because children are especially susceptible to pollutants.”

The Centers for Disease Control reports that asthma, caused and exacerbated by environmental pollutants, has increased at an alarming rate, with the highest rates in the child and adolescent population.

According the the EPA, “Scientific evidence has long demonstrated an association between poor indoor air quality and respiratory health effects, including asthma.”

Every month, dozens of school children and personnel nationwide report exposure to and injuries from air contaminants and toxins inside schools, including:

· Mold

· Asbestos

· Chemical fumes from construction and renovation

· High CO2 levels

· Poor ventilation

· Natural gas leaks

· PCB caulking

· Pesticides

· Pollution and fumes from nearby factories and toxic waste landfills

· Cleaners, 25 percent of which contain cancer-causing agents

I was dismayed to discover no local, state, nor federal agencies had authority to prevent the storage and use of hazardous chemicals in schools, nor to investigate injuries. In the 25 years since my injury, little has changed. “Sick Schools 2009,” a collaborative report by Healthy Schools Network, reveals that there is “no outside public health or environmental agency responsible for providing effective enforcement, protections or interventions specifically for school children at risk of or suffering from the effects of poor air quality, chemical mismanagement and spills, or other hazards.”

To right the wrongs, I became an activist and speaker to promote Healthy Schools Network, U.S. EPA Tools for Schools Program, and National Healthy Schools Day.

To read the full article, click here. For more about National Healthy Schools Day, visit their website.

---

One additional note: Boston Public Schools has laid off more than 80 custodians in order to balance the budget. An article in the Metro Boston News links this move with a possible increase in asthma rate, citing the custodians' job of cleaning mold and clearing dust:

In last year's annual environmental inspections, the top 21 schools with the highest number of environmental problems had asthma rates of 13 to 48 percent — well over the state rate of 10.8 percent.

“Sending children with asthma into poorly maintained schools is like sending canaries in the mines to forecast a hazard,” Tolle Graham, a member of the Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, testified at the March 24 budget hearing.

The full article can be viewed by clicking here.

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A Wake-Up Story

Nancy and James Chuda lost their little girl to cancer at the age of 4. Through extensive research, the Chudas linked an exposure to pesticides during Nancy's pregnancy to their daughter’s death.

The Chudas founded an organization, Healthy Child Healthy World, to awaken the public to the dangers of toxic chemicals in the environment.

I heard from a young man recently who was sprayed last summer with weed killer.

"The sprayer blew up on me and the chemical went in my mouth, nose, eyes, and directly into my bloodstream through a laceration. I awoke the next day to severe dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, headaches, and now have extreme fatigue also. That was 8 months ago. The symptoms are present 24/7. I have been to about 10 different specialty doctors and none of them think the poison has anything to do with it."

The political and medical communities must wake up to this reality.

The following video from Healthy Child Healthy World may create some discomfort. But that’s a good thing. We don’t make changes when we’re comfortable.

To learn more about Healthy Child Healthy World, visit their website.

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The Saints Rise Up

It’s hard to believe the Super Bowl has come and gone again. Last year we watched Arizona play Pittsburg in our new rental home. As the Cardinals succumbed to defeat, so did we. (My post from last year describes this in detail.)

Chris had just made the 13-hour journey from Colorado to Tucson with a U-Haul full of mattresses and radio equipment. I had just moved out of our vacation rental where we had lived for 6 weeks while Chris tied up loose ends in Colorado.

We were reunited at last and prepared to officially begin our de-tox together. Life was going to get better, we felt sure.

By the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl, Feb. 1, 2009, it became clear that the rashes, nosebleeds, and breathing problems were not dissipating. We had been in the home 24 hours and we were sick. Very sick. We moved several of our mattresses outside, hoping by morning the house would feel different and we could move back in.

Little did we know the homeowners had just sprayed for termites inside the home.

Little did we know we were chemically sensitive, a common occurrence for victims of toxic mold exposure.

Little did we know we were going to lose many of our possessions once again.

I don’t remember the ending to the game. Chris does. He was convinced our adjustment to the home would pass quickly. I had a sinking feeling that lasted well beyond the 4th quarter.

By 4:00 the next afternoon the children and I packed a few clothing items and drove off in search of a safe hotel. Chris stayed behind to work out the details with the homeowner. The homeowner did nothing wrong. We never asked him if he had sprayed for pesticides. We didn’t know to ask.

It’s a haunting memory.

Life did not get better as hoped. It got harder. We spent two weeks searching for a safe home and longer recovering from the exposure. We couldn’t get the pesticide smells out of the mattresses, so we abandoned them. We learned that the type of pesticides that were used, pyrethroids, attack the lungs and the brain.

The next home was much smaller. Eight of us slept in one room, on air mattresses. We lived in that home for 6 months, hoping to return to Colorado. By summer we knew that recovery--if there was to be a recovery--would require much longer than 6 months.

We’re still in Arizona. We’re in our 5th home since vacating our Colorado home 16 months ago. We continue to adjust to our new “normal.” We now comprehend the harsh reality that life will never be the same . We’re even beginning to see the beauty that comes from the ashes of suffering.

I guess that’s why this year’s Super Bowl impacted me more than others. If the Saints, representing people and an area devastated by disaster, can rise up, maybe we can too.

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Pesticide Tragedy

A 10-month-old infant died earlier this week of pesticide exposure in his mobile home. The young mother had been trying for several weeks to eradicate roaches and other insects from using foggers. The 2-year-old brother was hospitalized, as well as the mother.

This story is agonizing on so many levels. A young mother trying desperately to stop the infestation using common household products. Unaware of the true hazards of the foggers.

I share the following fact sheet in honor of this family, in hopes that the more we understand the hazards of pesticides used commonly in our homes, schools, and workplaces, the more suffering and loss we can prevent.

Active IngredientsThe active ingredient, usually the only component of the formulation listed on the pesticide label, is by nature biologically and chemically active against a target pest, be it an insect, weed or fungus. By definition these chemicals kill living things.

Contaminants and Impurities
Contaminants and impurities are often a part of the pesticide product and responsible for product hazards. Dioxin and DDT have been identified as contaminants, which have not been purposefully added but are a function of the production process.

MetabolitesMetabolites are breakdown products that form when a pesticide is used in the environment and mixes with air, water, soil or living organisms. Often the metabolite is more hazardous than the parent pesticide.

Inert IngredientsIf you were to go to your local hardware store and take a look at the label on a can of ant and roach killer, the contents might read something like this, “5% Permethrin, 95% Inert Ingredients.” After reading the label, you may wonder what makes up the other 95%. The fact is, the manufacturer doesn’t have to tell you. Currently, under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), pesticide manufacturers are only required to list the active ingredients in a pesticide, leaving consumers and applicators unaware of the possible toxics present in the inert ingredients of pesticide products they are using, unless the EPA administrator determines that the chemical poses a public health threat. Pesticide manufacturers argue they cannot release information on inert ingredients because they are trade secrets, and if released, their products could be duplicated. Quite often inert ingredients constitute over 95% of the pesticide product. Inert ingredients are mixed into pesticides products as a carrier or sticking agent, and are often as toxic as the active ingredient.

The Hazards of Inert Ingredients
Despite their name, these ingredients are neither chemically, biologically or toxicologically inert. In general, inert ingredients are minimally tested, however, many are known to state, federal and international agencies to be hazardous to human health. For example, the U.S. government lists creosols as a “Hazardous Waste” under Superfund regulations, yet allows these chemicals to be listed as inert ingredients in pesticide products. Creosols are known to produce skin and eye irritations, burns, inflammation, blindness, pneumonia, pancreatitis, central nervous system depression and kidney failure. Some inert ingredients are even more toxic than the active ingredients. One of the most hazardous ingredients in the commonly used herbicide RoundUp® is a surfactant, which is classified as an inert, and therefore not listed on the label. The pesticide naphthalene is an inert ingredient in some products and listed as an active ingredient in others. According to a 2000 report produced by the New York State Attorney General, The Secret Ingredients in Pesticides: Reducing the Risk, 72 percent of pesticide products available to consumers contain over 95 percent inert ingredients; fewer than 10 percent of pesticide products list any inert ingredients on their labels; more than 200 chemicals used as inert ingredients are hazardous pollutants in federal environmental statutes governing air and water quality; and, of a 1995 list of inert ingredients, 394 chemicals were listed as active ingredients in other pesticide products.

This fact sheet and many others are available at the website BeyondPesticides.org.

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Pesticides in Schools

Pesticides are routinely sprayed in school buildings and day care centers around the country. I didn't give this a second thought until my children became chemically sensitive earlier this year. Since that time I have become keenly aware of the misuse of these dangerous chemicals. This news story addresses the issue by allowing us to view the application process at an Atlanta day care center. Watch how quickly the infants are brought back into the room.

Fox News Story

I asked toxicologist Dr. Jack Thrasher for his reaction to this news story. Here is his reply.

"I am speechless and horrified at the same time. This is what one should expect because of the attitude of the entire pesticide industry from the manufacturers through the applicators. The toxicology testing on formulated pesticides is inadequate.

"The parent ingredient is usually tested for its toxicity by itself. It is then formulated into a mixture that contains other ingredients. The other ingredients are called inerts while the pesticide is called the active ingredient. The mixture is almost never tested for its toxicity. The inert ingredients can be heavy metals, solvents and manufacturing impurities to name a few.

"What is not considered by those who apply these pesticides is that infants and children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with pre-existing medical and genetic conditions are sensitive to almost all of the ingredients used in the formulation."

The good news is there are alternatives and organizations dedicated to education regarding this matter. This is the website I recommend if you are in the education field or a parent who would like to see your school district adopt less toxic options.

Alternatives to Using Pesticides in Schools. What is Integrated Pest Management?

The use of less toxic substances can be financially beneficial. This is one of those issues where everyone wins by adopting safer protocols. No testing. No remediation. Just different strategies.

Of course, if it were me, I would make mold testing mandatory at every school. And I'd put an air purifier in every classroom.

Then I would see what happens to our learning disability rate.

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Pesticides

Our current rental home is in the middle of nowhere. We are in a block of 4 homes but otherwise we have desert in front of us and behind us. The home next to us is vacant, in fact. We were unprepared, therefore, when pesticides and herbicides were sprayed on both sides of us last week. If you've followed our story you know we are chemically sensitive due to our massive mold exposure. We had an immediate reaction. Bloody noses, puffy eyes, and issues with breathing. We closed up the house for a day and have ordered a highly recommended air purifier. I've come to see our chemical sensitivity as a gift. It is protecting us.

The homeowners were simply following a commonly accepted protocol for home maintenance. I truly believe we are on the threshold of a major shift in our country. In an effort to be part of the education needed to promote change, I would like to share a lecture that is circulating among those who know they are environmentally ill. Dr. Hayes talks about the estrogen disturbances caused by pesticides. The mycotoxins produced by mold are estrogen mimickers as well. We have seen this in our family in the form of halted menstrual cycles, excessive menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, as well as gynecomastia.

This is one hour in length but well worth every moment. This is difficult information but, as I have learned, it's pain that leads to healthy change.

Lecture by Dr. Tyrone Hayes, Professor of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley

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