So-called ‘Safe’ Pesticides Have Surprisingly Ill Effects

As this news story describes, a lake in Japan’s Shimane Prefecture has seen its commercial fishery collapse by more than 90 percent since 1993, when a class of insecticides known as neonicotinoids were first introduced to the area. Zooplankton – tiny creatures in the water that fish feed on – fell by 83 percent during the same period.

Japan’s experience is by no means unique. In France, for example, dozens of species of birds have seen their numbers reduce, in some cases by two-thirds, because the insects they feed on have disappeared due to pesticides. Globally, pesticides are increasingly pushing insects into decline.

Fortunately, other research suggests that our body burden of pesticides can easily be lowered. A study from the United States published in 2015 showed that switching from conventionally grown fruits and vegetables to produce grown organically, even just for a few days, significantly reduces the levels of pesticides in children’s bodies. Examining 40 children between 3 and 6 years of age, researchers from the Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health at UC Berkeley found that an organic diet quickly lowered their levels of several pesticides by between one-quarter and one-half.

To read more about the health benefits of organic food, see this article on our website.