Reply #108: Chemical Trespass: Pesticides in Our Bodies and Corporate Accountability

[Jcrowley]

Chemical Trespass
Pesticides in Our Bodies and Corporate Accountability


Many U.S. residents carry toxic pesticides in their bodies above government assessed “acceptable” levels. Chemical Trespass: Pesticides in Our Bodies and Corporate Accountability, makes public for the first time an analysis of pesticide-related data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a study of levels of chemicals in 9,282 people nationwide (2,644 of whom were tested for pesticides).

Many of the pesticides found in the test subjects have been linked to serious short- and long-term health effects including infertility, birth defects and childhood and adult cancers. Chemical Trespass finds that children, women and Mexican Americans shoulder the heaviest “pesticide body burden.” For example, children—the population most vulnerable to pesticides—are exposed to the highest levels of nerve-damaging organophosphorous (OP) pesticides. The CDC data show that the average 6 to11 year-old sampled is exposed to the OP pesticide chlorpyrifos (commonly known by the product name Dursban) at four times the level U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers “acceptable” for a long-term exposure. The report introduces the Pesticide Trespass Index (PTI), a new tool for quantifying responsibility of individual pesticide manufacturers for their “pesticide trespass.” Using the PTI, the report estimates that Dow Chemical is responsible for at least 80% of the chlorpyrifos breakdown products found in the bodies of those in the U.S. Chemical Trespass calls for immediate action by government officials and the pesticide industry to reduce reliance on toxic pesticide and better protect the public from pesticide exposures

Download PDF documents:.

Executive Summary--English (screen resolution) (0.5 MB)
Executive Summary--English (print resolution) (3.0 MB)
Executive Summary--Spanish (screen resolution) (1.2 MB)
Executive Summary--Spanish (print resolution) (2.7 MB)
Executive Summary--French (screen resolution) (0.5 MB)
Executive Summary--French (print resolution) (3.1 MB)

Full Report -- English (screen resolution) (1.8 MB)
Full Report -- English (print resolution) (9.8 MB)
Full Report -- Spanish (screen resolution) (1.1 MB)
Full Report -- Spanish (print resolution) (9.2 MB)

See Site help and information for information about and help with PDF files
http://panna.org/campaigns/docsTrespass/chemicalTrespass2004.dv.html