PESTICIDES!Do you have an attitude?

The Ohio State University/OARDC

OSU Extension

Columbus, OH

Dr. David Shetlar (the BugDoc)

Where did you get your values concerning pesticides?

Parent(s)?

Teacher(s)?

Peers?

Research into Subject??

Watch out for Charged Words!

Toxic

The Numbers GamesMeasuring increases and decreases:

Ex: 1 in 1,000,000 versus 2 in 1,000,000

“the incidence doubled”“the rate increased by 100%”“twice as many …..”

Yet: 2 in 1,000,000 versus 1 in 1,000,000

“the rate decreased by 50%”“half as many …..”

The Numbers GamesComparing Studies with Unequal Numbers:

Ex: 12 of 400 wells in 1992 had pesticides.10 of 100 wells in 1995 had pesticides.

Therefore:3% of wells in 1992 were “contaminated”

while10% of wells in 1995 were “contaminated”

Newspaper headline: OVER A 300% INCREASE!

Common Misconceptions(in my view)

Pastoral View –

“Older, simpler ways of life were better than today’s”

Organic View –

“Natural and/or organic products and materials are safer than synthetic.”

No Risk in Banning Pesticides View –

“There are no real risks in banning pesticides.”or

“Life would be better without pesticides.”

What are the Major World Human Diseases?

AIDS?

Cancer?

Diarrhea?

Malaria?

Table 1Number of deaths, developing world, by age group and cause

Number of deaths (in thousands)

Cause of death 0-4 5-14 15-44 45-59 60+ All ages

Respiratory infections 2,710 244 139 78 813 3,984

Diarrheal diseases 2,474 210 97 30 54 2,865

Tuberculosis 71 151 696 534 526 1,978

Malaria 632 153 109 22 12 928

Tetanus 450 28 10 8 8 504

Pertussis 277 44 - - - 321

HIV 56 10 162 14 6 248

Meningitis 130 60 28 7 8 233

Syphilis 77 - 103 10 - 190

Other infectious 434 226 180 94 94 1,028

TOTAL infectious 8,174 1,269 1,524 797 1,521 13,285

             

Perinatal 2,402 - - - - 2,402

Congenital 503 42 43 5 - 589

Pregnancy-related - 12 408 7 - 427

Injuries 487 407 1,683 381 462 3,420

Cancer 43 64 411 967 2,211 3,696

Cardiovascular 122 80 540 1,368 6,908 9,018

Chronic respiratory 156 50 90 222 1,818 2,336

Other 556 296 674 709 1,676 3,911

TOTAL 12443 2,220 5,373 4,456 14,596 39,088

             

Do you know of a family member or acquaintance that died from:

Car accident? Cancer? War? Random shooting? Drug overdose? Pesticide exposure?

Reported Human Poisonings(reported in 1988 by the

American Association of Poison Control Centers)

Cause Number %

1. Analgesics 143,450 10.5

2. Cleaning agents 137,240 10.0

3. Cosmetics 110,546 8.1

4. Plants 93,975 6.9

5. Cold medicines 76,566 5.6

6. Hydrocarbons 52,454 3.8

7. Topical medicines 49,630 3.6

8. Bites/stings 47,829 3.5

9. Foreign bodies 47,374 3.5

10. Sedatives 46,388 3.4

Reported Human Poisonings(reported in 1988 by the

American Association of Poison Control Centers)

Cause Number %

1. Insecticides 41,499 3.0

2. Rodenticides 10,626 0.8

3. Herbicides 4,549 0.3

4. Fungicides 1,496 0.1

total pesticides 58,170 4.2

Pesticides

Reported Human Poisonings(reported in 1988 by the

American Association of Poison Control Centers)

Actual Fatalities

Total poisonings = 1,368,748

Total Fatalities = 545

Pesticide Fatalities = 14 (most by suicide)

Reported Human Poisonings(reported in 1998 by the

American Association of Poison Control Centers)

Cause Number %

1. Insecticides 65,989 4.7

2. Rodenticides 20,300 1.5

3. Herbicides 10,560 0.8

4. Fungicides 1,335 0.01

total pesticides 58,170 7.0

Pesticides

Reported Human Poisonings(reported in 1998 by the

American Association of Poison Control Centers)

Actual Fatalities

Total poisonings = 1,399,545

Total Fatalities = 249

Pesticide Fatalities = 16 (14 by suicide)

Human Deathsfrom animals (approx. 200/year)

[1989 Men’s Health Magazine, April, 1992]

Cause Number

1. Deer 131

2. Bees/Wasps 43

3. Dogs 14

4. Rattlesnakes 10

5. Spiders 4

6. Sharks 1

Turf Insecticide LD50s

Acephate (Orthene) 980Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) 270Diazinon 400Ethoprop (Mocap) 62Fonofos (Crusade) 18Isofenphos (Oftanol) 20Isazofos (Triumph) 40-60Malathion 1000Trichlorfon (Dylox/Proxol) 250

Organophosphates (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)

Bendiocarb (Turcam) 156Carbaryl (Sevin) 246

Bifenthrin (Talstar) 375Cyfluthrin (Tempo) 826Fluvalinate (Mavrik) 282L-cyhalothrin (Scimitar) 79Permethrin (Astro) 430

Pyrethroids (disrupt nerve sodium pump)

Carbamates (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)

Turf Insecticide LD50s

Imidacloprid (Merit) 450

Spinosads (Conserve) 3783-5000

Halofenozide (MACH2) 2850

Thiamethoxam (Meridian) 1563

Fipronil (Chipco Choice) 97

Chloronicotinyl (post-synaptic block, nicotinic acetycholine sites)

Diacylhydrazine (molt accelerating compound, induces molt)

Spinosad (synaptic block of nicotinic acetycholine sites)

Thianicotinyl (post-synaptic block, nicotinic acetycholine sites)

Phenylpyrazoles (GABA receptor disruption)

Turf Insecticide LD50s