-----Original Message-----
From: William.J.Ferraro@phila.gov [mailto:William.J.Ferraro@phila.gov]
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 9:18 AM
To: Russell, Benjamin
Subject: Fw: [pscip] "Safe” Pesticides Now First in Poisonings

Ben, this came from our local Penn State Extension Services, IPM folks. Might be interesting on PVCA website.

Bill


                                                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                               CONTACT: Steve Carpinelli (202) 481-1225

                           (Embedded image moved to file: pic10677.jpg)



              “Safe” Pesticides Now First in Poisonings
         Center Unveils New Report Based on Internal EPA Data

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 31, 2008 — According to a new Center for Public
Integrity investigation, Perils of the New Pesticides, pyrethrins and
pyrethroids were responsible for more than 26 percent of all major and
moderate human incidents involving pesticides in the United States in
2007, up from just 15 percent in 1998 — a 67 percent increase. This is
based on an analysis of adverse reaction reports filed with the
Environmental Protection Agency by pesticide manufacturers.

As a result of the Center’s investigation, the director of the EPA’s
Office of Pesticide Programs said the agency would begin a broad study
of the human health effects of these chemicals this year.

“The alarming rise of pesticide-related incidents attributed to
pyrethrin and pyrethroid affiliated products is a serious concern for
the millions of households that use them,” said Center Executive
Director Bill Buzenberg. “The Center for Public Integrity uncovered this
public safety issue through more than a dozen Freedom of Information Act
requests and crunching the data. This should be basic public information
if the EPA were doing its job.”

Data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers reveals a
similar trend that supports the EPA data analyzed by the Center. The
number of reported pyrethrin and pyrethroid incidents to poison centers
across the country jumped from 16,000 in 1998 to more than 26,000 in
2006, a 63 percent rise.

Pyrethrins, naturally-occurring compounds with insecticidal properties
derived from chrysanthemum flowers, are used in commonly available
household products to control insects in the home, on pets, and on
people. Their synthetic counterparts, pyrethroids, have similar
properties to pyrethrins, and were created as safer alternatives to an
earlier class of pesticides (organophosphates), originally derived from
nerve gas. Manufacturers’ use of pyrethroids has grown widely to include
thousands of household products, ranging from bug repellants, anti-lice
shampoos, pet shampoos, and carpet cleaners.

While pyrethroids are generally believed to be less toxic than
organophosphates, the number of reported human health problems,
including severe reactions and even deaths attributed to pesticides
containing pyrethrins and pyrethroids, increased from 261 in 1998 to
1,030 in 2007, nearly a 300 percent increase. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids
accounted for more incidents than any other class of pesticide over the
last five years. EPA data shows at least 50 deaths attributed to this
supposedly safer class of pesticides since 1992.

While organophosphates have been extensively studied and their impact on
public health thoroughly documented, researchers and scientists are
still unsure of the long-term neurotoxicity of pyrethrins and
pyrethroids, particularly among children and those susceptible to
allergies. Even so, the EPA does not require product warning labels
cautioning consumers with allergies of the dangers associated with
pyrethrins and pyrethroids products. However, the Food and Drug
Administration does require warning labels on shampoos that contain
pyrethrins and pyrethroids.

The Center’s investigation includes an online nationwide pesticide
incident database that allows anyone to search by state, city, exposure
type, chemical, and product.

The Center’s work on this and other projects is generously supported by
the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, the JEHT
Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Park
Foundation, the Popplestone Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
and the Wallace Global Fund. This project would not be possible without
the generosity of these and numerous other individuals and institutions
from across the country.

                                # # #

The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit, nonpartisan independent
Washington, D.C.-based organization that does investigative reporting
and research on significant public issues. Since 1990, the Center has
released more than 400 investigative reports and 17 books. It has
received the prestigious George Polk Award and more than 22 other
national journalism awards and 16 finalist nominations from national
organizations, including PEN USA and Investigative Reporters and
Editors. In April 2006, the Society of Professional Journalists
recognized the Center with a national award for excellence in online
public service journalism for the fifth consecutive year. In October
2006, the Center was honored with the Online News Association’s coveted
General Excellence Award. In March 2007, the Center was given a special
citation for the body of its investigative work from the Shorenstein
Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy
School of Government.


Message forwarded by:
Michelle Niedermeier
Program Coordinator
Philadelphia School and Community IPM Partnership (PSCIP)
Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management (PA IPM) Program

Penn State Philadelphia Outreach Center
111 N. 49th Street, Suite KN3-100
3rd Floor North
Philadelphia, PA  19139

Phone   215-471-2200 Ext. 109
215-435-9685 (Cell)
Fax     215-471-2231
Email   mxn14@...
pscip@...
Website http://www.paipm.org

PSCIP: Empowering individuals and communities to safely manage pests  
through education and training.