Tuesday, April 26, 2005

QUICK FACTS ON LAWN AND GARDEN CHEMICALS

An analysis of the most popular lawn and garden pesticides shows more than half of the products include ingredients classified by the EPA or the World Health Organization as possible carcinogens, one-third contain known or suspected endocrine disruptors, and more than a quarter contain reproductive toxins.

Over 40% of the most commonly used lawn and garden pesticides are banned in other countries, yet U.S. homeowners annually apply 90 million pounds of these types of pesticides to gardens and lawns where children frequently play.

Homeowners apply three times more pesticides per acre to their lawns than farmers apply to agricultural crops.

An EPA study found that lawn pesticides are easily tracked indoors and exist in the carpet and flooring for years.

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