|
 A pesticide is an agent used to destroy "pests" including insects, weeds, mold and fungus. Pest control agents can be placed in three categories:
1) Insecticide (used to kill insects),
2) Herbicides (used to kill weeds), and
3) Fungicides (used to kill mold and fungus).
|
Pesticides reach humans by being absorbed through the skin, swallowed or inhaled. Pesticides reach bodies of water bodies through the air during application or by runoff.
Most chemicals that are used to prevent pests end up in Long Island Sound where their presence can be harmful to marine organisms through poisoning both their bodies and their habitat.
The role of pesticides in the recent lobster die-off has been debated and researchers under Sea Grant have been looking into link between the lobster crisis and the extensive spraying in coastal communities to control the mosquito-borne West Nile virus.
Pesticides can negatively affect the long-term health of humans. The impact on children is far worse. Children whose homes and gardens are treated with pesticides have 6.5 times greater risk of leukemia than children living in untreated environments.
Animals are also affected when we use pesticides. Birds die after eating granular pesticides. Fish and animals can also develop cancer and pesticides impact fertility and hatching rates.
Jump to Changing Our Habits >>>
|
