The Life-threatening
Cost of Cosmetic Lawn Chemicals
We recently received a brochure at
our home urging us to sign up for a “Healthy Lawn Analysis” in order to
help our lawn “thrive” and “flourish.” Although the brochure warns that our
“grass is at risk from serious weed threats,” it fails to acknowledge that
treating our lawn with chemicals would threaten the health and safety of our
loved ones, our pets, and ourselves. Over the past few months, I have looked at
numerous sources, from epidemiological studies to toxicology reports in an
effort to learn more about the lawn care companies that operate in our
neighborhood and the products they use on our lawns. What I learned, in the more
than 60 sources I examined, will forever change my perception of the lawn care
industry and what is deemed a “healthy lawn.”
Despite a National
trend toward living “green” and “eating organic,” a July 2000 report from the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that “homeowners use up to 10 times
more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops.”[1] While
many of us are aware of the necessity of a pesticide-free diet, we tend to
overlook the hazardous consequences of pesticide use within our home
environments. I believe that if folks truly understood the risk, they would
redefine a beautiful, healthy lawn.
Lawn
chemicals are toxic
Despite
the fact that more than 40% of a leading lawn care company’s pesticide products
include ingredients that are banned or restricted in other countries,[2] the
application of hazardous cosmetic lawn chemicals in the U.S. is growing. While
lawn treatment companies promise a “Healthy Lawn,”[3] the term
“healthy lawn,” is a misnomer. In fact, 53% of the pesticide products used by a
leading lawn care company include
ingredients that the EPA and World Health Organization have defined as possible
carcinogens.[4]
Along with associations to cancer, 34% of the products are suspected or known
endocrine disruptors and 28% are known or suspected reproductive toxins.[5]
Although the National
Academy of Sciences reports that at least one out of seven people are
significantly harmed by pesticide exposure each year, this number only reflects those diagnosed
with short-term, acute exposures. The long-term effects of cosmetic lawn
chemicals are more serious. Researchers have linked the chemicals used by lawn
care companies to various forms of cancer including breast, lung,[6]
prostate, brain[7]
and pancreatic cancer,[8] as well as
Parkinson’s disease,[9]
non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,[10]
leukemia,[11]
soft-tissue sarcoma, birth defects,[12]
stillbirth, infertility, and Hodgkin’s disease.[13]
According to the Environmental
Protection Agency “95% of the pesticides used on residential lawns are ‘possible’
or ‘probable’ carcinogens” and there are dozens of studies which have looked at
the harmful effects of pesticides on children, adults, animals and the
environment. Despite the fact that lawn chemicals have been associated with a
myriad of chronic illnesses, I was shocked to learn that a large portion of
Monroe County subscribes to frequent lawn care treatments. I was further
dismayed to learn that while both New York State and Connecticut have realized
the harmful effects of cosmetic lawn care chemicals—banning them for use around
schools and day-care centers—cosmetic lawn care chemicals are still widely used
by homeowners throughout most of the U.S.
Children
According
to the World Health Organization, children are “particularly sensitive to the
cancer-causing and other adverse effects of pesticides, and accumulate a large
percentage of their lifetime health risk during childhood.”[14] The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concurs that children take in more pesticides relative to body
weight than adults and have developing organ systems that are more vulnerable
and less able to detoxify toxic chemicals.[15] This is especially troubling given the
fact that a 2003 report from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention found that nationwide, children between the ages
of 6 and 11 have significantly higher levels of lawn pesticide residues in
their bodies than all other age categories.[16]
Numerous
studies have looked at the effects of early childhood, and prenatal exposures
to lawn chemicals. One study finds that children
whose homes and gardens are treated with pesticides have 6.5 times greater risk
of leukemia than children living in
untreated environments.[17] Fetuses are especially vulnerable to
the harmful effects of lawn care chemicals and 5 of the most popular lawn-care
pesticides have been associated with reproductive or birth defects.[18] A study of 210,723 live births in Minnesota found
significantly higher rates of birth defects among children whose parents
applied pesticides.[19]
While human studies can only
look at variations among populations, and look at possible exposures, lab animals can be used to directly test the
effects of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers. Several studies on mice have shown an increased risk of
infertility, miscarriage and birth defects, even when lawn chemical exposures
were at very low dosages.[20]’[21]
Mahatma Gandhi once said that a “nation's
greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members," and while countries like
Germany, Thailand, Sweden, Indonesia, Angola, Austria, Denmark, South Africa,
Norway, Netherlands, and Belize have all recognized the harmful effects of lawn
care chemicals on their citizens, [22] here in the U.S., nearly 85% of our schools are
still treated with pesticides.[23]
Of course the health problems
associated with lawn care chemicals don’t just affect children (or lab mice for
that matter). According to a report by the National Cancer Institute “many of
the cancers associated with pesticides among children, such as leukemia, brain
cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, soft-tissue sarcoma, and Hodgkin’s disease, are
the same cancers that are repeatedly associated with pesticide exposure among
adults.”[24]
A 1996 study of golf course employees looked at deaths between 1970 and 1992
and found elevated instances of “non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, brain, and prostate
cancer mortality along with excess deaths from diseases of the nervous system.”[25] Golf
course workers are not the only ones at risk.
Pets
The same health
threats that apply to humans also apply to our pets. A study cited by
toxicologist Dr. Gary Ginsberg found that dogs had a “higher risk of canine
malignant lymphoma (the dog version of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) if the yard was
treated regularly by a lawn company.”[26] Along
with dogs, cosmetic lawn care chemicals have been found to be hazardous to
cats, birds, bees, fish, and other wildlife.
So if
these chemicals are so hazardous, why are they still legal?
Despite the fact that more than 40% of a
leading lawn chemical company’s pesticide products include ingredients that are
banned or restricted in other countries,[27] here at
home the EPA continues to
register these chemicals for commercial and residential use. Part of the reason
is that lawn treatment products are not licensed to be
used on foods, so the government is not required to test them for any chronic
or long-term health effects. Many
of the diseases and illnesses linked to pesticide exposure manifest over long
periods of time making it difficult to prove direct links to past exposures.
While there are studies showing correlations between lawn chemical exposures
and illness like cancer, only data on acute health effects are used to
evaluate the potential hazards associated with lawn pesticides.
While countries like Canada, Denmark,
Norway and Kuwait have banned the use of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic, commonly
known as 2,4-D, it is the most popular lawn care chemical in America.[28]
Although 2,4-D, is a known endocrine disruptor, which has also been linked to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,[29] chemicals like
these are being used on millions of homes across America. This
is due, in part, to the efforts of a billion-dollar chemical industry, which
has waged a campaign to misinform the consumer and purchase public policy. The
largest lawn care provider in the United States serves more than 3.4 million
households and annually generates more than $1.3 billion in income.[30] Despite studies on the hazardous
effects of lawn treatments and the subsequent efforts to educate homeowners, a
non-agricultural pesticide lobbying
organization called “Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment” (RISE) has
successfully lobbied State and local governments to block the regulation of lawn pesticides. In fact,
since its formation in 1991, the
pesticide lobby has become so successful that, according Sarah Pralle, a
political scientist from Syracuse University, “at present, forty-one states
have enacted some version of a pesticide preemption law,” which essentially
bars “localities from regulating pesticides.” [31]
Despite
aggressive lobbying efforts of the lawn care industry, New York State and
Connecticut have enacted important legislation restricting the use of cosmetic
herbicides and other lawn chemicals. Since May
2011, New York State has banned the use of lawn chemicals in and around schools
and daycare centers,[32] and as
of 2005, “over seventy Canadian municipalities have banned or severely
restricted the cosmetic use of lawn care pesticides on public and private
property.”[33]
Since the increased bans on municipal herbicides in Canada, “mayors and town
managers have reported a reduction in costs” and Canadian landscapes that have
been grown without pesticides for years “are still beautiful.”[34]
Misinformation
While there is plenty
of information documenting the hazardous effects of lawn care chemicals, homeowners
have remained largely uninformed. This is due in part to a campaign of
miseducation. One assertion made by lawn care companies, is that their lawn
chemicals are “safe” because they are heavily diluted.[35]’[36] This
claim fails to mention that toxins are still extremely dangerous even if found
in small amounts.[37] While
some lawn care companies have made claims like, “a child would have to ingest
ten cups of treated grass clippings to equal the toxicity of one aspirin,”[38] the
damage is not from “eating” your lawn. In fact most exposures come from
inhaling pesticide residue or absorption through the skin or eyes.[39] Another
assumption is that a lawn, once treated, is only “hazardous” for a specific
period of time – generally 48-hours. This seems to imply that there is a
magical number which marks the point at which the cancer-causing chemicals are
rendered harmless—a magical hour when perhaps the pesticides themselves turn
into a pumpkin like Cinderella’s carriage. Sorry to say this is not the case.
While the liquid in sprays may evaporate within a 48-hour period, what is left
is a concentrated toxic residue. Regardless of when your lawn was treated, lawn
chemicals are inhaled and absorbed through the skin and eyes causing you, your
children and your pets to become unknowingly poisoned by odorless and invisible
vapors. Where lawn spraying is common, pesticide residue can “remain active for
years after application,” affecting all who come into contact with treated
lawns, sidewalks and driveways and even secondary surfaces like patio and lawn
furniture.[40]
Even if windows are
closed, pesticides can still get inside a home. Regardless of when a lawn has
been treated, lawn chemical residue is easily tracked into the home attaching
to shoes, clothing and pets. Inside the home, pesticide residue can remain for
years, in carpets, floors, and furniture where it can become repeatedly
absorbed. Any contact made with a carpet (e.g., walking barefoot) or even a
simple act like taking your shoes off or putting them on, can lead to further
absorption through exposed skin on the hands and feet. A study of 120 homes,
where elevated incidences of breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers
were reported, found high indoor air and dust concentrations of carbaryl, permethrin,
and 2,4-D. [41]
Even if you are one of the few homes in the neighborhood that don’t employ the
use of these chemicals, your health is still seriously at risk.
Chemical
residue drift
Residue
from lawn treatments can travel far from the site where they are initially
applied. This is called pesticide “drift.”[42]
Depending on wind patterns, 85 to 90% of lawn chemical sprays can drift up to a
mile or more, away from where they were originally applied. [43]
Pesticide residue can drift far from the initial site of application,
contaminating play equipment, sand boxes, home gardens, backyard pools, and
patio furniture.[44]
Al
Heier, a spokesman for the EPA, rebuked claims made by lawn care companies that
their products were “safe,” stating that, “pesticides by their very nature are
toxic,” and, “any lawn-care company making broad claims about a chemical
treatment's safety or lack of toxicity was misleading the consumer.” [45] Today
many lawn care companies have attempted to attract health conscious and
environmentally conscious consumers with an aggressive re-branding campaign. By
using certain consumer friendly words like “green,” some lawn care companies
have attempted to give the impression that their products are safe for
children, pets and the environment.[46] Unlike
the word “organic,” which is regulated and requires government certification,
terms like “healthy,” “environmentally friendly,” and “green,” have no legal
definitions and therefore can be used to give the illusion of health and
safety.
Consumers are not the only ones
misinformed. I was surprised to learn that in some instances even the employees
themselves were unaware of just how dangerous the chemicals they use were. In a
recent study researchers who contacted a leading lawn care company found that the
“marketers generally did not even know about the public health threats of the
products.”[47]
In addition this same study claims that, “representatives
at times misrepresented their pesticide products as ‘safe’, a possible
violation of federal law.”[48] A study
from 1999 found that lawn care employees who applied lawn chemicals had a
greater incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—at least 7 times the expected
incidence—after only three years of employment.[49] An even
earlier study of lawn care employees in Florida found an increase in leukemia,
as well as brain and lung cancer mortalities.[50] In the few instances where employees are aware of the health concerns, they
are often forced to choose between economic stability and personal health.
Despite a plethora of studies which cite the hazardous effects of lawn
chemicals on humans (especially children), pets and the environment, the
multibillion-dollar lawn care industry has worked hard to keep not only
consumers in the dark, but their employees as well .
A
healthy lawn?
While lawn treatment
companies insist they know what is best for your lawn, remember that they are
out to sell a product—and a very dangerous one at that. What’s more, that
Astroturf looking lawn becomes anything but
healthy. According to Yale epidemiologist Dr. Gary Ginsberg, after the
application of lawn chemicals, the “bacteria, enzymes, soil structure and
nutrients needed to build a hardy, drought-resistant bio-diverse lawn are
killed off.” What follows is a cycle of addiction, where your lawn
becomes dependent upon the synthetic fertilizers found in lawn chemical
treatments. As depressing as this toxic addiction sounds there is a way to
break the cycle. Stop getting lawn treatments—immediately—for the sake of your
lawn, your health, and the health of those around you.
What
happens if I stop getting “Lawn Treatments”?
Your
lawn will go through withdraw when you stop using these chemicals, but it will
survive. Eventually it will become more beautiful and healthy and it will cost you nothing. When your lawn
comes back from the “living dead,” you will begin to notice Clover (once
considered beautiful and essential for a healthy lawn[51]),
Forget-Me-Nots, Johnny Jump-Ups, and Dandelions making their way back. This is
a sign that your lawn is becoming safe for humans and animals. Your grass will
not become “overrun” by dandelions, clover and other plants, which can be
easily managed on your organic lawn. A chemical-free lawn does not mean more
work for you. Nor does it mean you have to sacrifice beauty for health. There
are many examples of beautiful, toxic-free lawns in North America, the U.S.,
and New York State. My own lawn is a perfect example. During the summer months
I spend less than an hour a week tending to my lawn and garden. Despite the
lack of pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers, it remains healthy
and beautiful and requires little work to maintain. School 46 is another good
example. While it may not look like Astroturf or putting carpet, it is green,
healthy and beautiful—and best of all it is safe for children. Placing the
health and safety of children first, New York, Connecticut and even Canada have
learned that a beautiful lawn and a healthy public are not mutually exclusive. Since the increased bans on municipal
herbicides in Canada, “mayors and town managers have reported a reduction in
costs,” and municipalities have reported that, “Canadian landscapes that have
been grown without pesticides for years” have remained “beautiful.”[52]
I’m not going to say
your lawn will not go through “withdrawal.” The first summer we went without
“lawn treatments” our lawn remained alive, yet struggling. Years of “lawn
treatments,” over seeding, and nutrient depletion sent our lawn into shock. By
the second summer, however, our lawn had rebounded, the grass no longer
struggling, and our lawn was healthier than ever. I no longer suffered what I
thought were “allergy attacks” while mowing and I learned that by doing a few,
simple things I could have a beautiful, healthy and cancer-free lawn.
Fallen leaves, for
instance, provide a natural source of nutrients for your lawn. By mowing at
least once at the beginning of the leaf season and at least once towards the
end, when there are a relatively small amount of leaves on the lawn, you are
helping to replenish the nitrogen and nutrients your lawn desperately requires.
While I still rake the majority of the leaf fall, mowing over a thin layer of
leaves (mulching) is one simple way to help add nutrients back into a
chemical-free lawn. Also, avoid cutting grass too low—
most grass is healthiest when kept between 2.5 and 3.5" tall, and
water thoroughly preferably in the early morning (most
healthy lawns require only 1" of water per week). Following a few
simple tips will help you to keep your lawn beautiful and safe.
Healthy
lawn tips
Clover is one of the
flowering plants that lawn treatments aim to destroy. Despite the claims of
lawn companies, clover is not only essential for honeybees, it is essential for
a healthy lawn. As Paul Robbins points out, prior to the growth of the chemical
industry, “clover was commonly included in grass seed mixes for its value in
supporting soil health.”[53] Clover
absorbs nitrogen from the air, and when it is cut, it adds nitrogen back to the
rest of the lawn.[54] Lawn
chemicals destroy clover, which aside from providing a nice green low-growing
groundcover, provides the nutrients necessary for a healthy, green lawn. Part
of the vicious cycle of “lawn treatment” is that the homeowner is fighting to
add the nitrogen being removed through chemicals—and what’s worse—it costs
money. Clover provides a nice green groundcover, for the otherwise bare, or
shaded spots of you lawn, while injecting life into your lawn—at no cost.
Dandelions are another
plant which many homeowners seek to remove through the use of cosmetic chemical
treatments and herbicides. While admittedly deemed more of a nuisance than
clover, consider the fact that dandelions provide an alternative food source
for the rabbits which—as many of us in this neighborhood know—can otherwise
devour garden flowers and vegetables—within the blink of an eye. Dandelion
greens are also extremely healthy for humans—high in vitamins A, C and K—the
latter of which promotes bone health [55]and aids
in cancer prevention.[56]
Dandelion greens are also rich in iron and high
in calcium and contain more protein than spinach
(http://nccam.nih.gov/health/dandelion). Furthermore, the University of
Maryland Medical Center reports that dandelion leaves have diuretic properties,
which can help reduce high blood pressure and help cleanse the liver.[57] Of
course I’m not telling everyone to stop using lawn chemicals and begin “eating
your lawn”—I am only illustrating the many benefits of a spray-free approach to
your lawn. While I acknowledge the health benefits of a dandelion-inclusive
diet, I myself abstain from eating the dandelion greens on my lawn. This is in
part because they are saturated from the ubiquitous use of lawn chemicals in my
neighborhood. Unfortunately, because of pesticide drift, which can travel up to
a mile or more, it is not safe to eat the dandelion greens on my lawn, or
yours, even if our immediate neighbors stop the madness of regular lawn
treatments. Perhaps someday we will be able to benefit from this nutritious and
free source of food, but until then there are numerous organic and even fun—yes
fun ways to remove pesky dandelions from your lawn!
Last
summer, we ordered a “Fiskars Uproot Weeder,” a device which helps to manually
extract dandelions, thistles and unwanted plants. In one day of using this I
had removed most of the dandelions from my lawn—without the use of any sprays
or chemicals whatsoever. Despite what many may think, the removal was neither
back breaking nor entirely time consuming. I actually enjoyed plucking out
dandelions and was a little sad when I couldn’t find any more (see the online
reviews –I’m not crazy!).
Grub infestations are another issue of concern. Lawn
care companies insist that special sprays and insecticides are the only way to
protect your lawn. Despite these claims, there are alternatives to the
cancer-causing pesticides and insecticides. Nematodes are microscopic grub
fighters, which provide cancer-free protection for your lawn. Applying
nematodes to your lawn twice a year, once at the beginning of summer and once
at the end, is a safe, organic way to rid your lawn of grubs.[58] Milky
spore bacteria provide another defense for your lawn against grubs. After
application, the spores, like beneficial nematodes, destroy the grubs from the
inside out. Even after your lawn is cleared of grubs, the spores will remain
dormant in the soil for up to 15 years, ready to attack any future
infestations.[59]
There are numerous
organic alternatives to the hazardous chemical herbicides, pesticides,
fertilizers and fungicides used by lawn care companies and sold over the
counter to homeowners. Instead of using products containing glyphosate, a
chemical “found in Roundup®” and associated with “an increased risk for
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” consider a simple mixture of baking soda and water to
get rid of unwanted mushrooms and fungi.[60]
Redefining
a beautiful lawn
As we Americans are
becoming more health conscious consumers—less smoking, dietary awareness, etc.
— we can no longer overlook the detrimental effects of cosmetic lawn chemicals.
Many of us are under the impression that if something has been approved by the
EPA or FDA that means it is “safe.” However if you look at the fact that more
than 400,000 people are dying, and another 8.6 million people are developing
serious illnesses each year from cigarettes—a product which contains over 70
known carcinogens and yet is approved by the FDA—It should not come as a
surprise that lawn care chemicals have also remained legal.[61] While
the EPA has recognized that “95% of the pesticides used on residential lawns
are possible or probable carcinogens,” like cigarettes, their use remains
widespread and legal.[62]
If
you still are not convinced that lawn treatments are irrelevant to the beauty
of your lawn, at least try to reevaluate the importance you place on grass. Are
the feelings you have for the “look of your lawn” consistent with the feelings
you have for your loved ones? What about your neighbors and their loved ones? My hope is that at
least one of the more half dozen arguments presented here will resonate with my
neighbors. For some, the very real threat of cancer should be enough of a
reason to cancel a contract with a non-organic lawn care provider. For others,
the loss of bees, amphibians, hummingbirds or fish may be enough of an
incentive. Perhaps a pregnancy in a family or a visit from grandchildren may be
incentive enough to eliminate the use of toxic lawn chemicals, and opt for a more
healthy lawn.
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[14] UNICEF, World Health
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[52] Paul Tukey, “Why Ban Lawn
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[53] Paul Robbins, Lawn People: How Grasses, Weeds, and
Chemicals Make Us Who We Are, Temple University Press, 2012, 118.
[54] Jeff Gillman and Eric S.
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[55] Shearer, Martin J.,
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[57] University
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[58] Paul Tukey, The organic lawn care manual: A natural,
low-maintenance system for a beautiful, safe lawn. Storey Publishing, 2007.202.
[59] Priscilla Williams, Mike
Nadeau, and Sarah Little, “Lawns: An Organic Approach to Grubs,” http://www.organiclandcare.net/green-room/olc-articles/lawns-organic-approach-grubs
[60] “Children and Lawn
Chemicals Don’t Mix.” Beyond Pesticides/National Coalition Against the Misuse
of Pesticides. Vol. 25, No. 2, 2005, 15-17. www.beyondpesticides.org/.../pesticidesandyou/.../children%20lawns.pdf
[62] Nathan Diegelman,
"Poison in the Grass: The Hazards and Consequences of Lawn
Pesticides." Skin 6, no. 7,
2001.
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