10

Herbicides — Lymphomas and Other Health Effects

Herbicides Used in Sedona

According to Dan Neimy, Superintendent of Street Maintenance, Verde Valley Weed Control had been using the following herbicides under its contract with the City of Sedona:

o Pendulum Aqua Cap: Pendimethalin, N-Cl-Ethylpropyl)-3, 4-Dimethyl-2 6-Dinitrobenzenanine

Pendimethalin is known to be extremely toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. It also causes central nervous system depression in mice and rats. It may put several endangered species at risk.

There are conspicuous gaps in the data for Pendimethalin, which means research has been limited and not all risks are known.

See Pendimethalin Factsheets: http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticides/factsheets/pendimethalin.pdf

For further risks also see the section titled 9.Hidden Dangers of “Inert” Ingredients in Herbicides http://www.geocities.com/sedonasprayfree/InertDangers.htm and http://www.geocities.com/sedonasprayfree/Inert.htm

o Ranger Pro: glyphosate, isopropylamine salt

Glyphosate is toxic to humans and animals, and kills earthworms and fish. It has been linked to cancer, reproductive disorders and neurological conditions among other illnesses.

A 1999 study, A Case-Control Study of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides, (American Cancer Society, 1999), found that people exposed to glyphosate are 2.7 times more likely to contract non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

For more health and environmental effects of glyphosate, see factsheets at http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticides/factsheets/Glyphosate.pdf and

http://www.pesticide.org/glyphosate.pdf

o Mecamine D: 2,4-D (dimethylamine salt of 2,4 dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid), dimethylamine salt of dicamba, dimethylamine salt of 2-propionic acid

2,4-D is an endocrine disruptor which has been linked to breast cancer, birth defect, central nervous system damage, kidney and liver damage.

Click for links to Chemical Watch Factsheets: 2,4-D and http://www.pesticide.org/24D.pdf

For more on endocrine disruptors: http://www.geocities.com/sedonasprayfree/WhenLessIsMore.htm

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. 2006 Endocrine Disruptors.

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/factsheets/pdf/endocrine.pdf

See asthma reference at http://www.beyondpesticides.org/children/asthma/AsthmaBrochureCited.pdf

Dicamba Factsheet: http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticides/factsheets/Dicamba.pdf

Both glyphosate (in Ranger Pro) and 2, 4-D are known to bioaccumulate, which means that they affect not only the individuals directly exposed, but their offspring as well.

“Today, every man, woman and child has synthetic chemicals in their bodies. No child is born free of them.” From TRADE SECRETS: A MOYERS REPORT (Emmy award winning documentary for outstanding investigative journalism and target of a classic smear campaign by the chemical industry) See http://www.geocities.com/sedonasprayfree/InvestigateChemicals.htm or http://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/

For more information about the risks of the above chemicals, see also section 9.Hidden Dangers of “Inert” Ingredients in Herbicides http://www.geocities.com/sedonasprayfree/InertDangers.htm and http://www.geocities.com/sedonasprayfree/Inert.htm

A wealth of information on the health risks of herbicides can be found in the publication Ontario College of Family Physicians: A systematic review of pesticide studies from 1992 onward. Link below.

Pesticide Free Ontario website www.pesticidefree.ca

Full Report Ontario College of Family Physicians: A systematic review of pesticide studies from 1992 onward. Pesticides Literature Review