Study: 'Safe' insecticides cause health problems

A class of insecticides derived from flowers–long believed to be environmentally safe–is in fact causing significant human health problems in the US, according to an inquiry released on July 31 by public-interest campaigners. Poisoning incidents caused by insecticides made with pyrethrins and pyrethroids, compounds made from the chrysanthemum flower, rose 63% between 1998 and 2006, the inquiry by the Washington-based Center for Public Integrity (CPI) found. The CPI wrote its report using freedom of information laws to secure internal data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is charged with regulating pesticides. "The alarming rise of pesticide-related incidents attributed to pyrethrin and pyrethroid-affiliated products is a serious concern for the millions of households that use them," CPI executive director Bill Buzenberg said today. "The Center for Public Integrity uncovered this public safety issue through more than a dozen freedom of information... requests and crunching the data. This should be basic public information if the EPA were doing its job." EPA officials responded to the CPI findings by vowing to promptly begin a sweeping study of naturally occurring pyrethrins and pyrethroids, their synthetic counterparts. Using EPA statistics, the CPI found that human health problems caused by the two insecticides, including deaths, jumped 300% during the decade that ended in 2007. No other class of pesticides has triggered as many adverse reports during the past five years. The insecticides were formulated as a "safe" alternative to organophosphates, toxic chemicals sometimes derived from nerve gas. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are frequently added to insect repellents, carpet cleaners, anti-lice shampoos, and pet shampoos. Only pyrethrin-based shampoos are required to carry warnings of possible adverse health effects. A study funded by the US government found in May that pregnant women using pet shampoos with the pesticides had a higher risk of delivering babies with autism.