Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Studies conducted in fruit-growing regions of Washington have shown
significant contamination of indoor dusts by organophosphorous com-
pounds such as azinphosmethyl, chlorpyrifos, parathion, and phosmet.
Azinphosmethyl and parathion are highly toxic and registered exclusively
for agricultural use.
Organophosphate pesticide concentrations measured in house dust
indicated that houses of farm families had significantly higher concentra-
tions of azinphosmethyl, phosmet, and chlorpyrifos than reference or control
families.
In general, household pesticide levels are higher in homes of farm work-
ers compared to the homes of farmers. Pesticide levels in household dusts
are inversely related to distance from commercial orchards.
5. Misapplications
Misapplication of pesticides in residences by homeowners and in some
cases by personnel of private firms, particularly pest control services, are
not uncommon. In most instances they are sporadic, occurring randomly
around the country. In several recent cases, however, major “epidemics” of
pesticide misapplications (and illegal use) have occurred, requiring signif-
icant USEPA response and mitigation efforts. These cases involved the
highly toxic, restricted-use compound, methyl parathion. Stocks intended
for agricultural use were surplused by owners to unknowing individuals
who sold or applied them for cockroach and other insect control purposes.
Such misapplications/illegal treatments were conducted in 232 houses in
Ohio in 1994 (cleanup cost over $20 million), 1100 homes in Mississippi in
1996, and 100 homes in Illinois in 1997. A highly concentrated and illegal
preparation of the carbamate insecticide aldicarb has also been used in
inner-city communities.
6. Children's exposures
Because of their relatively high intake of food, water, and air per unit body
mass, young children have unique exposure risks to pesticides and other
toxicants compared to adults. Young children, because of their developmen-
tal immaturity, may be at higher risk of adverse health effects. Recognizing
this, a committee of the National Research Council recommended that
USEPA re-evaluate its decision-making process for setting acceptable pesti-
cide exposures to reflect the unique exposure and health concerns of children.
In 1996, Congress, in P.L. 104-170, the Food Quality Protection Act, directed
USEPA to re-evaluate pesticide exposure tolerances in food and to consider
all other sources of pesticide exposures in children, especially compounds
with similar mechanisms of toxicity.
In response to such concerns, a number of research studies were con-
ducted in the late 1980s and in the 1990s to assess nondietary pesticide
exposures. These have established that residential contamination is an
important component of total pesticide exposure in children.
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