Action Group Says Pesticides Can Harm Children

Pesticide sprays on farms can cause disease and potentially defects at birth, according to a report published by the Pesticide Action Network.

The organization examined hundreds of nationwide studies in a 2012 publication, and followed it up with Kids on the Frontline, which went to print in the last week.

The insect-killing chemicals can drift through the air, leading to the potential for people to breathe it in. According to the group’s Minnesota organizer, children breathe at a much faster rate than adults. This causes the chance for health issues to rise.

The network wants three things: public reporting of pesticide use nationwide, chemical-free buffer zones in sensitive areas where younger people may be, incentives for farmers to find solutions outside of pesticide chemicals for insect control.

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