Pesticides A Toxic Time Bomb in Our Midst

higher accident and fatality rates in agriculture. The EPA estimates that 10,000 to

20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide poisonings occur annually. Farmworkers,

groundskeepers, pet groomers, fumigators, and other occupations are at risk for expo-

sure to pesticides, including fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and sen-

sitizers. When it comes to undiagnosed illnesses, the EPA estimates that 300,000

farmworkers suffer acute pesticide poisoning each year. Anecdotal reports from clini-

cians indicate that many cases of pesticide poisoning are unreported because individu-

als do not seek treatment, or are misdiagnosed because the symptoms of pesticide

poisoning can resemble those of viral infection. For descriptions of illnesses by occu-

pation, industry, and pesticide-functional class, see Figures 2.1–2.3.

Pesticides must be registered for specific uses by the EPA. The agency considers the

economic, social, and environmental risks and benefits of each pesticide before issu-

ing the registration. Unfortunately, the pesticide manufacturers themselves provide

the vast majority of the information the EPA uses to make its determinations, auto-

matically creating a potential conflict of interest. Furthermore, data on older pesti-

cides is considered incomplete by modern scientific standards, and the health effects

of these substances are not fully understood.^7

The OSHA Field Sanitation Standard

For most working people, it is taken for granted that sanitary facilities on the job,

including operating toilets, potable drinking water, and hand-washing facilities, will

Figure 2.1 Distribution and Number of Pesticide-Related Illnesses among Agricultural

Workers by Occupation. Sources: NIOSH 2002d; Calvert 2002.

28 | Pesticides

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