Ten Reasons to Reduce Pesticide Use in Rental Housing

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Ten Reasons to Reduce Pesticide Use in Rental
Housing
April, 2009
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• Pesticides are hazardous to human health.

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Common insecticides with EPA-identified cancer
concerns
bifenthrin possible human carcinogen cypermeth
rin possible human carcinogen fipronil possi
ble human carcinogen malathion suggestive
evidence of carcinogenicity permethrin likely
to be carcinogenic to humans piperonyl butoxide
(synergist) possible human carcinogen
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2008.
Chemicals evaluated for carcinogenic potential.
http//envirocancer.cornell.edu/turf/chemseval.pdf
.
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Common insecticides with NIOSH-identified
concerns about reproductive harm
cypermethrin reduced male fertility birth
defects deltamethrin reduced newborn survival
birth defects fipronil effects on newborn
behavior imidacloprid miscarriages birth
defects permethrin reduced fertility reduced
newborn survival
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health. 2008. Registry of Toxic Effects of
Chemical Substances. http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtec
s/gz1312d0.html http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/gz
12d068.html http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/uq4399
aa.html http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/nj88b80.ht
ml http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/gz132658.html.
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• 2. Pesticides cause special problems for
  children.

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For their size, children drink more water and eat
more food than adults do. Their play exposes them
to pesticides.
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Exposure to a common insecticide
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2005.
Third National Report on Human Exposure to
Environmental Chemicals. http//www.cdc.gov/Exposu
reReport/pdf/thirdreport.pdf.
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• 3. Pesticides often contaminate food.

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Common insecticides found by USDA on common food
items
72 of broccoli samples contaminated with
imidacloprid 39 of frozen potato samples
contaminated with imidacloprid 45 of cherry
samples contaminated with bifenthrin 21 of
celery samples contaminated with malathion 46
of celery samples contaminated with permethrin
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Agricultural Marketing
Service. Science and Technology Programs. 2008.
Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary, Calendar
Year 2007. www.ams.usda.gov/pdp.
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• 4. Pesticides are particularly hazardous for
  pesticide applicators.

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Agricultural Health Study Sponsored by the
National Cancer Institute, the National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences, and the
Environmental Protection Agency

• Linked to pesticide use
• cancer
• depression
• retinal degeneration
• neurological problems
• asthma and other breathing problems
• diabetes
• http//aghealth.nci.nih.gov/

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• 5. Pesticides are hazardous to pets.
  

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We looked over the U.S. EPA's database of
reported incidents involving domestic animals,
from all products containing pyrethrins and
pyrethroids. We found numerous cases of animals
whose skin was burned, animals that had seizures
and vomiting. We found tens of thousands of
reported incidents, including thousands of
deaths.
Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg.NBC-Los Angeles.
2009. Pet Products Investigation. Mar 24.
http//www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Pet_Produc
ts_Concern.html.
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• 6. Pesticides contaminate water and air.

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Common insecticides in a survey of 30 California
streams
bifenthrin - 100
cyfluthrin - 97
permethrin 53
Robert W. Holmes et al. 2008. Statewide
Investigation of the Role of Pyrethroid
Pesticides in Sediment Toxicity in Californias
Urban Waterways. Environ. Sci. Technol. 42 (18)
7003-7009.
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• 7. Pesticides are hazardous to fish and birds.

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cypermethrin For freshwater fish, invertebrates,
and estuarine/marine fish, invertebrates,
technical grade cypermethrin is very highly toxic
on an acute basis. --U.S. EPA deltamethrin moder
ately to highly toxic to fish --National
Pesticide Information Center fipronil highly
toxic to bobwhite quail and pheasants highly to
very highly toxic to marine and freshwater
fish --National Pesticide Information Center
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imidacloprid highly toxic to the house sparrow,
moderately toxic to upland game
birds --National Pesticide Information
Center malathion considered moderate to very
high in toxicity to fish --National Pesticide
Information Center permethrin highly toxic to
both freshwater and estuarine aquatic
organisms --U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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• 8. Pesticide health and safety testing is
  conducted by pesticide manufacturers.

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• 9. Pesticides have too many secrets.

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• 10. Pesticides dont solve pest problems.

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Solving a pest problem means changing the
conditions that allow a pest to thrive.
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Definition of Integrated Pest Management in
California law
Healthy Schools Act of 2000 (Assembly Bill
2260) "a pest management strategy that focuses
on long-term prevention or suppression of pest
problems through a combination of techniques such
as monitoring for pest presence and establishing
treatment threshold levels, using nonchemical
practices to make the habitat less conducive to
pest development, improving sanitation, and
employing mechanical and physical controls.
Pesticides that pose the least possible hazard
and are effective in a manner that minimizes
risks to people, property, and the environment,
are used only after careful monitoring indicates
they are needed according to pre-established
guidelines and treatment thresholds."
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Successful IPM in New York City apartments
IPM
No IPM
No IPM
IPM
Barbara L. Brenner et al. 2003. Integrated Pest
Management in an Urban Community A Successful
Partnership for Prevention. Environ Health
Perspect 11116491653.
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Costs of successful IPM
The costs of adopting buildingwide IPM in a
typical East Harlem apartment building were
calculated to be 4669 per unit in the first
year (including repairs) and 24 per unit per
year in subsequent years. In comparison, the
costs of traditional, chemically based pest
control are estimated to be 2446 per unit per
year.
Barbara L. Brenner et al. 2003. Integrated Pest
Management in an Urban Community A Successful
Partnership for Prevention. Environ Health
Perspect 11116491653.
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Reducing pesticide use is good for tenants,
good for property managers, and good for the
environment.
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Caroline Cox caroline_at_ceh.org