Pesticides
Pesticide Safety
EPA ends use of toxic pesticide endosulfan
On Tuesday, June 8th the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that endosulfan, a highly toxic chemical that is part of the same family of chemicals as DDT, cannot be used safely, and announced that it was terminating all uses of the chemical in the US. Like other organochlorine pesticides, endosulfan is persistent in the environment and poisons humans and wildlife both in agricultural areas and in regions far from where it was applied.
Farmworker Justice has collaborated with other organizations to demand EPA’s ban of this toxic pesticide. In July 2008, Farmworker Justice and Earthjustice sued EPA demanding that the Agency ban the use of endosulfan. This lawsuit was recently dismissed due to jurisdictional reasons. Plantiffs for this case were Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Beyond Pesticides, Center for Environmental Health, Farm Labor Organizing Committee (AFL-CIO), Natural Resources Defense Council, Pesticide Action Network North America, PCUN, United Farm Workers, and Teamsters Local 890.
We are pleased with the EPA's decision to end the use of this chemical and believe that farmworkers, consumers and the environment will be safer and healthier because of it.
The dangers of pesticides for farmworkers
Pesticide Hazards and Incident Data
Pesticides pose risks of short- and long- term illness to farmworkers and their families. Workers who mix, load or apply pesticides (known as pesticide handlers) can be exposed to toxic pesticides due to spills, splashes, defective, missing or inadequate protective equipment, direct spray, or drift. Workers who perform hand labor tasks in areas that have been treated with pesticides face exposure from direct spray, drift or contact with pesticide residues on the crop or soil. Farmworker families can also be injured by pesticide when farmworker children play in treated fields, when workers inadvertently take home pesticide residues on their hair, skin or clothing or when pesticides drift onto outdoor play areas and get tracked into homes, etc.
Congress Enacts New Pesticide Safety Research Program in Farm Bill
Thursday, 08 October 2009
Farmworkers won a legislative victory when Congress passed a new pesticide research program in the 2008 Farm Bill. The purpose of the Farm Bill is to establish agricultural policies for a five-year period. The Farm Bill is best known for providing subsidies for producers of corn, cotton, peanuts and other commodities. It also authorizes spending for the Food Stamp program. While the Farm Bill often includes issues such as conservation and land management, farmworkers are rarely covered in this legislation.
Farmworker Justice now seeks appropriations to pay for the pesticide safety research to be carried out by government agencies and possibly private researchers. For a minimal investment, we can achieve enormous benefits to farmworker health and our health care system.
Read more: Congress Enacts New Pesticide Safety Research Program in Farm Bill
Monitoring Farmworkers' Exposures to Pesticides
Tuesday, 07 February 2006
Testing reveals continued widespread impacts of pesticides on farmworkers
Groups Issue Report Calling for Action to Protect Workers
The Farm Worker Pesticide Project, Columbia Legal Services, Farmworker Justice Fund, and United Farm Workers released a report today analyzing the 2nd year of Washington State's cutting edge medical monitoring program for farm workers. In 2005, one in 10 workers who regularly handled organophosphate or carbamate pesticides experienced significant depressions of cholinesterase, an essential nervous system enzyme. The pesticide Lorsban (chlorpyrifos) which is widely used in Washington State and elsewhere was implicated as a prime culprit associated with nervous system impacts, with Guthion (azinphos methyl) and other pesticides also implicated. All but one of 59 workers with significant depressions had applied the pesticides by airblast sprayer.
Indifference to Safety
Thursday, 29 January 1998
Indifference to Safety reviews the State of Florida's investigations into complaints of farmworker pesticide poisoning from January 1992 to mid-May 1997. An examination of the State's records shows glaring flaws in its enforcement of federal and state laws intended to protect the health and safety of the workers who cultivate and harvest fruits and vegetables. Consequently, this report recommends fundamental changes in Florida's system of enforcing pesticide protections for farmworkers.
