Cecil Tharp MSU Pesticide Education Specialist Montana State University "It is not my contention...
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Cecil Tharp MSU Pesticide Education Specialist Montana State University "It is not my contention that chemicals never be used. I do contend that we have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals in the hands of persons largely or wholly ignorant of their potential harm" (Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1964)
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Transcript of Cecil Tharp MSU Pesticide Education Specialist Montana State University "It is not my contention...
Cecil TharpMSU Pesticide Education Specialist
Montana State University
"It is not my contention that chemicals never be used. I do contend that we have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals in the hands of persons largely or
wholly ignorant of their potential harm" (Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1964)
ctharp
The title of the presenation should be defined as this drives the point of the prentation. Many people may say 'perspective is reality' and I find it to be true in pesticide education. Depending on what part of Montana you are from, or what time period in the last century we land, attitudes towards pesticides change.The goal of this presentation is too display the perspectives and attitudes of applicators, the general public, and our government agencies towards pesticide poisonings and relate this to how those perspectives are often based off of fragile concepts that may change over time. What we view as dangerous or a toxin now may be viewed as dangerous years from now. We will be correlating these perspectives with the behavior patterns of Montana applicators relative to poisoning in our state.
All
chem
ical
s ar
e un
safe
Onl
y al
tern
ativ
e m
etho
ds o
f
pest
con
trol
.
All
chem
ical
s sa
fe!
Mos
t ch
emic
als
are
unsa
fe
(Bot
anic
als
may
be o
k).
Mos
t ch
emic
als
are
safe
.
Som
e sa
fe a
nd s
ome
not
safe
.
-----SAFETY OF PESTICIDES-----
----Pro-environmental---- ------Pro-chemical------
Never write about a place until you're away from it,because that gives you perspective.
- Ernest Hemingway
Silverbullet Pesticide 1939 Swiss Chemist Synthesized DDT
Paul Humen Muller
ctharp
I would like to take the applicators through separate perspectives that occured throughout the last century. I would also like to focus on how we thought we knew what safe was, and it was redefined every few decades. The first perspective is called 'the what does not kill you makes you stronger!'.. This is referring to the rampant use of DDT from 1939 to 1965.Photo on the left to control typhus.Photo on the right was used to control manage malaria by killing the Anopheles mosquito. This product saved millions of lives and people did not die from this pesticide. Did it have a downfall?
ctharp
DDT was later classified in the 1960's as a persistent organic pollutant as it accumulates in fat tissues of animals and biomagnifies through the food web. By biomagnifying DDT could concentrations could rise 10 million times of that which was sprayed in the environment. Although DDT was safe at levels sprayed in the environment, once biomagnnified it was proven to cause reproductive effects in birds of prey.
The father of toxicology, Paracelsus (1493 – 1541), believed the relationship between dose and response to be inseparable. All things are poison!
“Two aspirins may remedy a headache, but the whole bottle may be lethal.
Anti-chemical agenda commonly delivered by media.
Probably due to highly toxic pesticides of the 70’s to early 90’s
Media has a strong influence on spreading vague, panic laden propaganda laced with small truths.
“According to the Global Healing Center, several studies have shown that pesticides alter the
immune system in animals and make them more susceptible to disease.”
Not taking into account degradation characteristics.
“Highly toxic pesticides raining down on Glacier National Park, MT”
DDT and Dieldrin delisted by the EPA in the 60’s and 70’s. DDT Exceeded Human Risk Threshold for subsistence
fisherman (eating 19 meals of fish per month) Dieldrin Exceeded Human Risk Threshold for 2.3 meals of
fish per month.
A pesticide registration takes an average of nine years and costs pesticide manufacturers $152 - $256 million for each crop protection product.
EPA requires all pesticides to undergo up to 120 health, safety, and environmental tests as well as a routine comprehensive regulatory review.
This information is compiled and approved by EPAPesticide product labels are the legal document
created b y these findings.
Variety of occupational, dietary and ecological testsHazard = Toxicity x Exposure Risk = Exposure x HazardNOEL = No adverse effect levelAcute and Chronic toxicity
Caution (Category IV) You can drink the stuff
Table 2. Signal words found on pesticide labels.
Herbicide LD50
Common consumer chemicals
LD50
Paraquat (Gramoxone)
~100 Nicotine 9
Triclopyr 630 Caffeine 192
2,4-D 666 Bleach 192
Pendimethalin (Prowl)
1050 Tylenol 338
Atrazine 3090Household ammonia (10%)
350
Glyphosate (Roundup)
4900 Codeine 427
Imazaquin (Image)
>5000 Table salt 3000
University of Florida (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi170)
Agent Orange
Agent White Compound4:1 mixture of 2,4-D and picloram
1:1 mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-TProduces dioxins – carcinogen
The National Toxicology Program has classified dioxins asa human carcinogen, frequently associated with soft-tissue sarcoma, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
1896 – 1985!
No! Not a replicated studyActual dose unknownDid this contain the inert ingredientsDidn’t assess delayed or chronic toxicity
1896 – 1985!
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover!
Long Term ExposureMany repeated low dose exposures
DefinitionEPA mandates testing for chronic toxicity of:
Active ingredients Must classify inert ingredients into 1 of 4
categoriesUsually on ratsThis is very expensiveChronic toxicity statements are placed on the
product label (carcinogen, mutagen, reproductive damage, etc..)
Risk Assessments Epidemiological Studies
Dose – Response Models Hind-site investigations
No human testing Human testing
Very dose specific Not dose specific
Inert ingredients often vaguely categorized
Complete formulations and multiple formulations often assessed
Forms causal relationship Difficult to prove cause
Certified Pesticide Applicators and SpousesIOWA:
31,877 farmers21,771 farm spouses4,916 commercial applicators
NORTH CAROLINA20,518 farmers10,567 farm spouses
Navigate to http://aghealth.nih.gov/
Wheezing (airways in lungs are narrowed) associated with…Pesticides (Paraquat, parathion, malathion,
chlorpyrifos, atrazine, alachlor, EPTC)
Applicators have up to twice the risk of Parkinsons DiseaseUsed pesticides more than 400 days in their
lifetime.Strongly associated with paraquat use.
All
chem
ical
s ar
e un
safe
Onl
y al
tern
ativ
e m
etho
ds o
f
pest
con
trol
.
All
chem
ical
s sa
fe!
Mos
t ch
emic
als
are
unsa
fe
(Bot
anic
als
may
be o
k).
Mos
t ch
emic
als
are
safe
.
Som
e sa
fe a
nd s
ome
not
safe
.
-----SAFETY OF PESTICIDES-----
----Pro-environmental---- ------Pro-chemical------
No pesticides are safe or unsafe.Hazard is a product of toxicity and exposure
Evaluate toxicity by reading the product labelDose makes the poison; reduce exposure
Use buffers next to sensitive areas Protect yourself using PPE Follow REI and PHI Don’t listen to hype!
Pesticides are only a part of IPM, but are a necessity to protect our food industry that supports over 6 billion people.
MSU Pesticide Safety Education ProgramCecil Tharp, Pesticide Education Specialist
Web Address: www.pesticides.montana.edu
