What are pesticides?

The term “pesticides” refers to a broad class of crop-protection substances: insecticides, for insect control; rodenticides, for rodent control; herbicides, for weed control; and fungicides, for fungi, mold and mildew control. Herbicides are the most widely used cheThe result – a myriad of illnesses for both humans and the environment.micals in agriculture. In a nutshell, a nuclear bomb of chemicals!
Modern production of food incorporates a wide range of synthetic chemicals. Many of these chemicals have the potential to be very damaging to humans if they are exposed to high concentrations, or to low concentrations over an extended period of time. Even though more and more people are realizing there is a vast spectrum of pesticides in conventionally produced food, what could they really do? It is an ill-hidden fact that most of the studies on food safety are done or supported by the companies themselves. Fantastic!
Imagine munching on a beautiful big green apple. You are probably thinking you are giving your body some great nutrition it needs. Yet, what is coating inside that bright delicious fruit? Farmers use pesticides on many conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. The EPA sets limits on how much pesticide residue can remain on food. It is a relatively complex process, incorporating variables such as the toxicity of the pesticide and how much of the food people generally eat. At the end, each of the 9,700 pesticides (at last count, in 1996) receives a number called a “tolerance.” The EPA, FDA, and USDA claim they play a role in ensuring pesticides on our food do not exceed the tolerances – at least, one would hope so. In 1999, 40% of U.S. produce tested by the government contained pesticide residue. Allegedly, about 1% of domestically produced and 3% of the imported food had levels that violated standards – I seriously doubt the real numbers are so low.
While those numbers might seem reassuring, sceptics point out that no one could possibly test all the food grown or imported into the U.S. Even 1% of the total produce in the U.S. is a huge amount! Also, although pesticide tolerances are assumed to be safe, these chemicals are by their very nature toxic, and have not been studied directly in people. More importantly yet, the individual safety profiles of pesticides do not take into consideration any hazard from their combined effects. Take a Cheerio’s box off the shelf, and you can find residues from more than 30 pesticides. Each one is within its tolerance, but how about the effect of those chemicals acting in combination in our systems?