Common Pesticides
and their Weighty Effects

After the Second World War, two unique developments occurred: first, many young men arrived home from abroad ready to join the work force, and secondly, the oil industry was ready to launch many new petroleum-based businesses. These two events, combined with a great need to rebuild the American economy, spawned the petro-chemical industry. The first of their many ‘bright’ ideas was the introduction of pesticides. Farmers had long complained about the loss of crops from bug infestations and these large oil-based companies had the answer: create a poison that would kill these insects. But, they didn’t stop there, next came fungicides to ‘protect’ the plants from fungus and then herbicides to prevent the growth of competing weeds. The chemical business was booming and profits went through the roof.

Amazingly, there were no clear minds to ask the obvious question “if this kills bugs, why wouldn’t it kill me?” It’s difficult to say whether it was the rigorous and exhausting workloads, the pressure of profits, or just plain ignorance, but people were willing to listen to these so-called ‘experts’ (scientists in the pockets of industry) who pronounced these poisons as safe. Today, just as casualties and birth defects continue to rise, there is a legitimate rise in the concern and distress. There are, in fact, millions of unnatural and manmade pollutants saturating our environment, and any reasonable biologist or responsible scientist unshakable states that these pollutants are a significant case of our population’s increasing health concerns.

Below are just a few of these pesticides to show you what to expect when you are dining out or purchasing a food from non-organic sources.

Pesticide	Where Found	Effects & Risks
chloride	Known groundwater pollutant	Highly toxic to humans, as well as crustaceans, fish, insects, mollusks, plankton.
Propoxur	A carbamate insecticide used to contort ants, roaches, etc. also used in shelf paper.	A probable human carcinogen, likely residues in food establishments and food processing plants.
Chlorpyrifos	Used on a variety of food and feed crops, golf courses, and as a mosquitocide.	This can over stimulate the nervous system causing nausea dizziness, confusion, respiratory paralysis and death.
Heptachlor	Water and ecological toxicity	Hypersensitive to stimulation, prickling or creeping on the skin., causes headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, lack of coordination, tremor, mental confusion, hyper-excitable state, convulsions, seizure, coma and respiratory depression.
Diazinon	Insecticide both for household and agricultural pest control.	Can over stimulate the nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, respiratory paralysis
Dichlorvos	Pest control, food processing, fumigation, spray for crops	Excessive salivation sweating, muscle twitching, weakness, tremor, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, respiratory depression, wheezing fluid in lungs.
O phenylphenol	Used on a variety of food and feed crops	Highly corrosive, caustic to eyes, skin & mouth, gastrointestinal injuries, nausea, vomiting & diarrhea, hypotension, myocardial failure, pulmonary edema, neurological changes, liver and renal toxicity, methemoglobinemia and hemolysis