Beyond Pesticides and Friends of the Earth Release Thorough Toxicology Analysis for Commercially Available Herbicide Products; Advocates for More Organic Options
WASHINGTON, DC— Beyond Pesticides and Friends of the Earth (FOE) collaborated to analyze herbicide products at two of the most popular home and garden retailers, Home Depot and Lowe’s. This analysis highlights the adverse health and environmental effects of widely available toxic pesticides while encouraging retailers to expand on—and consumers to use—safer, least/non-toxic pesticide products.
Beyond Pesticides and Friends of the Earth (FOE) collaborated to analyze herbicide products at two of the most popular home and garden retailers, Home Depot and Lowe’s. This new Commercial Herbicide Analysis highlights the adverse health and environmental effects of widely available toxic pesticides while encouraging retailers to expand on—and consumers to use—safer, least/non-toxic pesticide products.
According to Akayla Bracey, Beyond Pesticides’ science and regulatory manager and lead researcher on the review, “People generally aren’t aware that the pesticides widely available in garden retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s are a threat to health and the environment, and that there are safer products that are available and used in organic land management.”
“Many herbicides that are widely available at home and garden stores are associated with a range of toxic impacts on human health and the environment, including harm to bees and other pollinators. To meet growing consumer demand for safer and more environmentally friendly products, home and garden stores must commit to phase out the most toxic products from their shelves and to increase the number of organic and safer alternatives that they offer,” says FOE Senior Staff Scientist Kendra Klein , Ph.D.
Why is this analysis so essential? Many individuals are unaware of what chemicals are in the products they use, let alone their chemical effects. Conventional commercially available herbicides contain chemicals where studies find exposure can cause preventable diseases. Some of these diseases include asthma, learning disabilities, birth and reproductive abnormalities, endocrine and immune system disorders, brain and nervous system disorders, and several types of cancer. “Pesticide exposure can promote the development of various diseases, many of which are co-occurring….These links to diseases support an urgent need to shift to toxic‐free practices and policies,” Warren Porter, PhD, Beyond Pesticides board member and professor emeritus of zoology and environmental toxicology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Additionally, pesticide resistance among plants and insects is increasing along with genetic engineering of pesticide-tolerant crops. These instances have implications for rising levels of pesticide applications to eliminate pests. However, the solution is not to spray more toxic chemicals. We must educate consumers and encourage companies to protect people and pollinators by rejecting toxic products and expanding safer options.
View the new analysis: Commercial Herbicide Analysis — Beyond Pesticides.
About Beyond Pesticides
Beyond Pesticides is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting health and the environment with science, policy, and action to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides. Learn more at www.beyondpesticides.org.
Contact: Jay Feldman, Executive Director, Beyond Pesticides
202-255-4296, jfeldman@beyondpesticides.org
About Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C and Berkley, California, with locations in 75 countries, which works with allies in establishing crucial environmental laws, and regulatory/policy reform. Visit www.foe.org to learn more.