The Hidden Dangers of Pesticides to Health and Nature

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Understanding Pesticides
3. Health Dangers of Pesticides
4. Environmental Impact of Pesticides
5. Pesticides and Food Safety
6. Effects on Farmers and Agricultural Workers
7. Pesticides and Ecosystem Balance
8. Household Pesticide Risks
9. Regulations and Control Measures
10. Safer Alternatives to Pesticides
11. What Individuals Can Do
12. Conclusion

Introduction

What Are Pesticides?

Pesticides are chemical and biological agents that protect your health, agricultural produce, and property from harmful pests. These pesticides are substances or a mixture of substances. Pesticides is itself a broad term, and it has many types. Herbicides, a type of pesticide, account for more than 50% of the pesticides used across the globe. 

Why Pesticides Are Widely Used?

Pesticides are widely used as they offer various advantages. Some of them are as follows:

• Pesticides save agricultural produce from weeds, fungi, and insects that spread diseases, cause nuisances, and serve as disease vectors.
• Pesticides increase agricultural yield depending on the crop.
• Pesticides control the spread of invasive species.
• Pesticides control organisms that harm human activities and structures.
• Pesticides also save property damage, like wooden structure protection, unobstructed driver view, or are sprayed on the walls of houses to fight malaria vectors.

Growing Concerns About Pesticide Safety

There have been growing concerns about pesticide safety across the globe. 

• These concerns mainly stem because of impacting human health, such as increased cancer risk, developmental problems, and neurological disorders. 

• Secondly, growing concerns are around environmental safety. Use of pesticides has led to damage to the environment by polluting water, harming pollinators like bees, and creating resistant pests.

• Some of the major health concerns that could be seen as stinging eyes, nausea, rashes, vomiting, and death due to severe poisoning.

• People like infants, children, pregnant women, and agricultural workers are at a higher risk of being impacted by pesticides.

• Pesticides can also be harmful to beneficial insects like bees, birds, fish, and mammals.

Understanding Pesticides

Types of Pesticides (Insecticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, etc.)

Types of pesticides categorized on the basis of pests:

1. Herbicides: Herbicides' main function is to kill and inhibit unwanted plants like weeds from crops.
2. Fungicides: Fungicides protects fungal diseases like mildew, mould, and rust.
3. Insecticides: Insecticides protects crop from insects like beetles and aphids.
4. Rodenticides: Rodenticides main function is to kill rodents like rats and mice from damaging produce.
5. Bactericides: These pesticides control bacterial pests.
6. Miticides/Acaricides: These pesticides protect crops from mites and ticks.

Types of pesticides categorized on the basis of origin or source:

1. Biopesticides: These pesticides have been derived from natural materials. These natural materials are animals, bacteria, plants, and certain minerals.
2. Synthetic chemical pesticides: These pesticides are man-made. Some of them are derived from chrysanthemum flowers or DDT.
3. Botanical pesticides: These pesticides are derived specifically from plants.

How Pesticides Work?

As we have different types of pesticides, the functions they perform are different as well. This function is dependent on the end goal of a certain pesticide. Some pesticide wants to control the crop, while other wants to eliminate certain bugs or animals. Some have the goal of protecting plants against undesirable weeds.

Different pesticides use different modes of action to meet their end goals. These modes of action can be contact, which means killing by direct touch, ingest, which means by eating, translocating, which means absorption by roots or leaves, or repel, which means preventing pests from feeding.

Common Uses in Agriculture and Homes

Common uses in agriculture are as follows:

• Pesticides are used to protect crops from weeds, insects, and fungi.
• Pesticides are used to repel insects like beetles or aphids that damage crops by feeding on them.
• Pesticides protect the yield from rodents like rats and mice.
• Pesticides are used to decrease the overall cultivation costs.
• Pesticides are used to prevent the spread of plant diseases.

Common uses in homes are as follows:

• Pesticides are used in homes to control insects from damaging property, such as ants, cockroaches, and spiders.
• Herbicides, a type of pesticide, are used in homes to control weeds from damaging lawns and gardens.
• Pesticides are used in homes to prevent diseases and maintain sanitation by using disinfectants for bathrooms and kitchens, and vector control for mosquitoes.
• Pesticides are used to protect wooden structures from harmful fungi and termites.

Chemical vs Natural Pesticides

Health Dangers of Pesticides

Short-Term Health Effects

Short term health effects can be acute and mostly occur to agriculture workers who handle and use pesticides. These effects can be nausea, dizziness, headaches, vomiting, or irritation in the skin and eyes. 

Some of the insecticides can also lead to potentially deadly conditions if humans breathe them in.

Long-Term Health Risks

There can be chronic health issues caused by the use of pesticides. Some of them are cancer risk to agriculture workers, neurological disorders, neurotoxicity, neurodevelopmental impairment, increased risk of developing parkinson’s disease, alzheimer’s, symptoms of autism, reproductive effects, fetal death and birth defects, or respiratory problems.

Pesticides and Cancer Risk

Consistent studies have led to the conclusion that pesticides may have an increased risk of cancer. This risk can be seen more in those people who have been consistently exposed, such as farmers and agricultural workers. 

Some of the types of cancer that have been associated are brain cancer, leukaemia, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer. 

Effects on Children and Pregnant Women

Exposure to pesticides to preganant women and children can cause significant risks. Some of these risks can affect fetal development, neural deficits, learning disabilities, children’s long-term health, respiratory issues, and cancer. 

Pesticides can cross the placenta, and direct exposure can lead to pregnancy complications, disrupt brain function, and affect nervous system development.

Hormonal and Nervous System Damage

Pesticides can mimic, block, or alter the synthesis, transport, binding, or elimination of natural hormones. This can cause several impacts to the human body, such as reducing circulating thyroid hormone levels, the synthesis of hormones like estrogen, reproductive problems such as infertility, birth defects, and hormone-related cancers.

Pesticides can also interfere with the nervous system and lead to overstimulation of muscles, glands, and the central nervous system. This can cause tremors, seizures, and respiratory failure. Neurodegenerative diseases can also build up, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Neurotoxicity.

Environmental Impact of Pesticides

Soil Contamination

Pesticides can contaminate soil and can cause soil infertility and biodiversity. Pesticides remove beneficial microbes, earthworms, and insects and can lead to contaminated groundwater as well. 

Contaminated soil can result in disruption of nutrient cycles, create toxic residues, and pose risks to human health. Certain diseases can emerge, such as cancer, hormonal problems, and neurological disorders. 

Soil contamination is mainly done through spraying pesticides directly on crops, persisting for years, and through leaching.

Water Pollution

Pesticides can cause water pollution and create impact in several ways. Some of the major impacts are as follows:

• Pesticides can cause toxicity to aquatic life and affect fish, insects, and other organisms.
• Pesticides can contaminate drinking water and make it unsafe for consumption.
• Pesticides can contaminate groundwater for decades due to slow movement.

Air Pollution from Pesticide Drift

Pesticide Drift can cause air pollution. Some of the major impacts are as follows:

• Pesticides can be mixed with the air and cause inhalation of toxic chemicals into the body, which further leads to respiratory issues and other health problems.
• Pesticides can travel to the air, rain, and snow and can persist for several decades.
• Pesticide enters into the air through nozzle sprays, wind speed, vapour of droplets, and temperature.

Impact on Wildlife and Biodiversity

• Pesticides can kill beneficial organisms like bees, butterflies, spiders, birds, fish, and mammals.
• Pesticides can accumulate in the organisms which infects food web.
• Pesticide exposure can disrupt growth, cause developmental problems, and impair reproduction.
• Pesticides can cause behavioural issues like foraging, mating, and predator avoidance.
• Pesticides can lead to toxify pollinators, which reduces floral resources.
• Pesticides can contaminate groundwater and can disrupt aquatic life and organisms.
• Pesticides can impact soil fertility and affect nutrient cycles.

Chapter 4: Pesticides and Food Safety

Pesticide Residues in Food

Pesticide Residues in Food are some traces of chemicals left after applying the pesticides. These residues can cause several risks, such as cancer or reproductive issues. They can have acute and chronic effects on human health. Long-term effects can be associated with cancer, immune system issues, and nervous system damage. 

How Pesticides Enter the Food Chain

Pesticides enter the food chain through a process that involves spraying pesticides on crops, and then plants absorb these chemicals, herbivores eat or ingest these chemicals during eating, and carnivores eat those contaminated prey. This is how pesticides get transferred into the food chain.

Risks of Consuming Contaminated Produce

Consuming contaminated produce can cause acute and chronic effects on the human body. These can include symptoms like eye and skin irritation, headaches, dizziness, neurological disorders, various types of cancer, endocrine disruption, and respiratory issues.

Food Safety Standards and Limits

Some of the food safety standards and limits can be as follows:

• Setting a limit on maximum residue limits.
• Setting international MRLs and Extraneous MRLs for various pesticide combinations.
• Following FSSAI standards and regulating MRLs in India under the FSS.
• Making sure that pesticides are used carefully and responsibly.

Effects on Farmers and Agricultural Workers

Occupational Exposure Risks

Farmers and agricultural workers are severely on the side of associated risks from pesticides. These people have the maximum exposure as they handle pesticides regularly. These risks can be neurological, like headaches, dizziness, and memory problems, or long-term, like asthma, Parkinson’s disease, fetal malformations, and psychological effects.

Lack of Protective Measures

Lack of protective measures can arise from ignorance or lack of awareness, discomfort in hot weather, expensive, inadequate training, and poor accessibility. Most farmers and agricultural workers neglect PPE, improperly mix, improperly dispose of, and do not maintain hygiene.

Long-Term Health Issues in Farm Workers

Long-term health issues in farm workers can be cancer risk, higher rates of alzheimer’s, cognitive impairment, birth defects, infertility, hormonal interference, metabolic issues, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases.

Economic and Social Consequences

Economic consequences can be increased costs of cleaning the environment due to contaminated groundwater, billion threatens in crop production due to pollinator losses, and pesticide resistance costs that can require more pesticides, which increases control costs.

Social causes can be loss of biodiversity, effect on rural livelihoods, affecting farmers and agriculture life, affect on water contamination, risk in aquatic life, and public health impacts like exposure to respiratory and neurological issues.

Pesticides and Ecosystem Balance

Harm to Pollinators (Bees, Butterflies)

Pesticides severely harm the pollinators, like bees and butterflies and cause their death. Pesticides harm pollinators when you overspray or when pesticide-contaminated pollen, nectar, or honeydew.

Disruption of Natural Pest Control

Natural pest control systems can occur due to various causes, such as pesticides killing beneficial insects, reducing food and shelter for natural enemies, artificial lights inviting pests like aphids, a lack of diverse plants, and an increase in pest fertility.

Development of Pesticide Resistance

Pesticide resistance occurs through natural selection as pests multiply in the population and pass on their genes. Hence, the chemical becomes less effective. This can lead to non-control of pests, which further leads to crop loss and increases resistance costs.

Impact on Soil Microorganisms

Pesticides negatively impact soil microorganisms and reduce soil fertility. Along with that, the impact on soil microorganisms can cause contaminated soil, loss of diversity & biomass, inhibition of key enzymes, and disrupt the ecosystem functions.

Household Pesticide Risks

Pesticides Used at Home

Using pesticides at home can lead to risks affecting humans and the environment. These risks can range from acute poisoning to chronic conditions. Certain health risks are irritation toeyes, nose, throat, headaches, dizziness, stomach cramps, muscle weakness, seizures, coma, leukaemia, lymphoma, infertility, asthma, and developmental delays in children.

Risks to Children and Pets

Risks to children can be as follows:

Kids and children can be highly exposed to contaminated surfaces, leading to developmental issues.

Kids and children can face respiratory issues like asthma or wheezing, neurodevelopment issues like ADHD, birth defects, and hormone disruption.

Risks to pets can be as follows:

Pets can face vomiting, dizziness, seizures, or even death.

Pets can eat poisoned rodents or lethal insects. This can cause due to licking contaminated surfaces and eating bait.

Indoor Air Quality Concerns

Indoor air quality concerns rise due to severe risks and affect on health. Some of the risks can be a dry cough, damage to the central nervous system, increased risk of some cancers, and dust ingestion in children. Main sources include spraying pesticides indoors, some residue accumulation on surfaces, and persistence for years or decades.

Safe Storage and Disposal

• You must keep the pesticide at a dedicated location like a locked cabinet and make sure it’s well-ventilated and unexposed to direct sunlight.
• Store pesticides away from where you store your food and fertilizers. 
• Keep pesticides in air-tight containers and mark a caution sign.
• Safe disposal involves never pouring pesticides into drains, toilets, or sinks, or onto the ground.

Regulations and Control Measures

Government Regulations on Pesticides

The government has introduced regulations and control measures that can be as follows:

• All insecticides must be registered with the CIB & RC. The data regarding chemistry, toxicity, and efficacy should also be submitted.
• Certain pesticides like Endosulfan and Paraquat are banned.
• Some pesticides like DDT and Monocrotophos have been restricted for use for specific purposes.
• The Act mandates precautions and fine penalties due to non-compliance.

Banned and Restricted Chemicals

• Persistent Organic Pollutants: Aldrin, Chlordane, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor, and Lindane.
• Organophosphates/Carbamates: Ethyl Parathion, Methyl Parathion, and Phorate.
• Others: Paraquat Dimethyl Sulphate, Benomyl, Dichlorvos, Endosulfan, Fenthion.
• Restricted pesticides include Aluminium phosphide, Carbofuran, Monocrotophos, Methyl Bromide, DDT, and Methyl Parathion.

Role of International Organizations

International Organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, Rotterdam Convention, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and United Nations Environment Programme develop voluntary codes and harmonize standards related to the regulation and control of pesticides. They guide policies to manage risks, ban highly hazardous pesticides, and ensure safe use and disposal of chemicals.

Challenges in Enforcement

Some of the challenges in enforcing pesticide regulations can be as follows:

• Inadequate monitoring.
• Regulatory gaps and corruption.
• Limited state authority to ban hazardous pesticides.
• Long and extensive legal procedures lead to delay and weak execution.
• Anonymous online sales of pesticides.

Safer Alternatives to Pesticides

Organic Farming Methods

Some of the key organic methods that are safer alternatives to pesticides are as follows:

• Disrupting pests' life cycle through crop rotation.
• Companion planting that deters pests.
• Managing habitats like ponds, hedgerows, and flowering borders to attract beneficial pollinators.
• Using sticky traps, light traps, and protective netting.
• Improved sanitation by keeping the farm clean.
• Using straw or compost to cover the soil to retain soil moisture.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management is a sustainable strategy that uses pesticides as a last resort only. It involves biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools. It focuses on long-term prevention through monitoring and understanding pests' life cycles. This strategy takes action only when pests reach a point where they threaten damage to farms, produce, yield, and property.

Biological Pest Control

Biological pest control uses control agents like predators, parasitoids, pathogens, or herbivores to manage pests. These strategies include augmentation, conservation, and introducing a natural enemy from a pest’s native region to a new area.

Natural and Eco-Friendly Solutions

• Integrated Pest Management
• Cultural Controls
• Physical and Mechanical Barriers
• Natural and Organic Topical Solutions
• Neem oil
• Diatomaceous Earth
• Insecticidal Soaps/Oil Sprays
• Botanical Sprays
• Encouraging beneficial insects and microorganisms

Chapter 10: What Individuals Can Do

Reducing Pesticide Exposure

• Rinse all your fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Peel fruits and vegetables and trim fat from meat, poultry, and fish.
• Go for organic produce.
• Eat a wide variety of foods to lower exposure.
• Always wash hands with soap and water after spraying pesticides.
• Keep products in a well-ventilated space and put a caution sign.

Choosing Organic and Local Produce

Individuals should always opt for organic and local produce. This ensure limit intake of pesticides.
10.3 Washing and Preparing Food Safely

Always well-rinse your food and prepare it with caution to avoid the intake of pesticides.

Supporting Sustainable Agriculture

Support sustainable agriculture like the Integrated Pest Management technique, using biocontrol methods, using biological agents as alternatives to pesticides, and crop rotation and companion planting.

Conclusion

Understanding the Real Cost of Pesticide Use

As a farmer, you must understand and assess the real cost of using pesticides beyond just their purchase price. Pesticide use can cause environmental, human health, and financial issues that can lead to overall loss. In fact, over-reliance on chemical pesticides can lead to pests developing resistance. This can lead to increased costs. Pesticide drift can affect other crops that do not need it and can degrade its quality. Use the Integrated Pest Management Strategy to control, regulate, and monitor pest control.

Moving Toward a Healthier and Safer Environment

Increased use and health concerns related to pesticides have caused people to move towards a healthier and safer environment. This includes adopting various strategies like the Integrated Pest Management, the use of sustainable pesticides, avoiding the use of banned and restricted pesticides, and using natural and biological alternatives. Some of the other ways can be improving how to use pesticides, growing awareness about the hazards of pesticides among farmers and agricultural workers, and following government-provided guidelines on the regulation and control of pesticides. This way, we can move towards building a sustainable strategy for using pesticides.

FAQs

1. Why are pesticides dangerous to humans?

Pesticides are dangerous to humans due to causing acute and chronic health effects like dizziness, headaches, vomiting, neurological disorders, and developmental issues.

2. What are the health effects of pesticides?

Several health effects can include risks of cancer, hormonal imbalance, respiratory issues, parkinson’s disease, and reproductive issues.

3. Are pesticide residues in food harmful?

Yes. Pesticide residues can lead to build-up contamination in food, which further affects health and the central nervous system.

4. Can pesticides cause cancer?

Pesticides can cause cancers like brain cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, leukaemia, to people with maximum exposure, such as farmers and agricultural workers.

5. How do pesticides affect children?

Pesticides affect children by causing developmental issues, learning disabilities, and respiratory issues like asthma.

6. Do pesticides harm the environment?

Yes. Pesticides harm the environment as they contaminate soil, killing beneficial pollinators and microorganisms, leading to biodiversity loss and a disrupted ecosystem.

7. What are the symptoms of pesticide poisoning?

The symptoms of pesticide poisoning include common symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, tremors, irritation, redness, and coughing.

8. Are household pesticides safe to use?

Household pesticides are not inherently safe. They are toxic chemicals that can pose a risk to children and pets. Practices like keeping them away and storing them with a caution sign can minimise the risk of exposure.

9. How can I reduce exposure to pesticides?

You can reduce exposure to pesticides through careful food handling, making informed food choices, practising safer pest control, and adopting general hygiene practices.

10. What are safer alternatives to chemical pesticides?

Safer Alternatives include Integrated Pest Management, Biopesticides, Biocontrol agents, Plant-incorporated protectants, and culture controls.