Clean Water, Clear Conscience

Clean and abundant water is something we take for granted in America, even as we persist in polluting waterways with yard-care pesticides, agricultural wastes and other contaminants. But new studies showing that young children, whose bodies are still developing, face the greatest risk from these pollutants ought to make us reconsider how we treat our most essential natural resource. As spring approaches, keep in mind that the chemicals that seem to make life easier can present problems to your family's health and that of the environment.

Lawn Care Without Borders
Pesticides and herbicides must be handled cautiously, yet homeowners often fail to read directions, neglect to wear protective clothing, track chemicals into the home and allow kids and pets to play on freshly treated grass. "People assume that because they see a product in the store, it is perfectly safe," says Jane Nogaki, pesticide program coordinator for the New Jersey Environmental Federation, "and that simply is not the case."

Over 100 million pounds of herbicides and pesticides are applied around American residences each year. A study in the December 2006 Pediatrics found that young children exposed prenatally to high levels of the insecticide chlorpyrifos were more likely to have developmental delays and attention problems at three years of age than children exposed to lower levels. Chlorpyrifos is now banned for use in residences, but other suspect pesticides remain on the market (see below).

Prenatal exposure to harmful chemicals poses an array of other dangers as well, a study in the May 2004 Environmental Health Perspectives found. The investigators tested several common lawn and garden chemicals—including groundwater contaminants 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), atrazine and dicamba—for their ability to harm mouse embryos during a period corresponding to the first five to seven days after human conception. These three chemicals, along with nine other common compounds, caused increased cell death among the embryos.

Atrazine, chlorpyrifos and turbufos reduced the odds that an embryo would progress to the next stage of development, the blastocyst. The experiments were conducted using concentrations that an average person might be exposed to during chemical application or from ingesting contaminated groundwater. Atrazine, in particular, may have affected as many as 3,600 drinking water systems throughout the U.S., mainly in the Midwest. "Pesticide-induced injury can occur at a very early period of embryo development and at pesticide concentrations assumed to be without adverse health consequences for humans," wrote the investigators. For products to avoid see "What You Can Do," below.