coughed continuously. That evening her husband, Wayne, and two children, Jeffrey,
age seven, and Kara, age three, were afflicted with headaches, dizziness, diarrhea, and
other symptoms, causing Brenda great concern. They contacted the lawn care com-
pany the next day and discovered they had been exposed to the common weed killer
atrazine and to the synthetic pyrethroid bug killer bifenthrin. Closing the windows
did not prevent the pesticides from entering the house.
The following day the entire family was ill and even the dog, which had vomited
the night before, did not move and would not eat—classic behavior for dogs who
have been subjected to pesticide poisoning. Brenda called the family physician, and
hoped the illness would pass on its own, a response similar to that of others who have
been acutely poisoned.
Two days later, the doctor diagnosed her with chemical poisoning and prescribed
antibiotics and steroids. Her children received the same treatment. When she con-
tacted Florida’s Poison Control Center to report the incident, they incorrectly
responded that they did not handle pesticides. Later, a lung specialist advised Brenda
that her airway had become reactive. With no cure in sight, her only option was to
entirely avoid environmental chemicals.
Brenda had an impressive resume that described fifteen years of experience as a regis-
tered nurse at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the University of California at Los
Angeles, Stanford University, and the John Wayne Cancer Institute in California. Pesti-
cides took away her livelihood. Future employment attempts failed as she became symp-
tomatic with dizziness, weakness, and tremors, and she was unable to complete her shifts.
However, she states that her predicament is the least of her worries, as her son can
no longer attend school due to reactions he suffers each time pesticides are applied to
a field adjacent to the school. When she asked the applicator not to spray during
school hours, he responded in the usual manner: ‘‘Weed killers and pesticides are reg-
istered with the EPA and are safe to use.’’ ‘‘They won’t hurt the children.’’
Brenda persisted, and approximately two weeks after the January 2003 incident,
she contacted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. In April, she
received a letter from a division of the state’s Agriculture Department. It indicated
that the agency had questioned the lawn care firm, but that too much time had
elapsed to attempt an on-site inspection to determine if a violation of the pesticide’s
label had taken place.^60
Pesticide Education—Does It Work?
Education on the proper use of pesticides is often included in many lawn care and
landscape management programs. Most often this is in the form of informational bro-
chures or fact sheets on pesticide use around the home or garden. These information
packets include tips on identifying pest problems and selecting treatment approaches
that reduce environmental impacts, less-toxic pest control products if chemical control
is necessary, and the proper mixing, application rates, and cleanup procedures for pesti-
cide use.
Pesticides in Homes, Lawns, and Gardens | 179