Children face some of the greatest risk of exposure to dangerous pesticides when they live near farm fields or go to schools near them, says a report by Pesticide Action Network North America, which describes itself as a challenger of the global proliferation of pesticides. Emily Marquez, a PAN staff scientist and an author of the report, said, “Pesticides linked to cancer and neurological harm travel through air, water and dust, ending up in homes and schools — and eventually in children’s bodies.”
The study says rates of childhood leukemia and brain tumors have risen by more than 40 percent in the last 50 years and 1 in 6 children in the United States are now diagnosed with one or more developmental disabilities.
“Many pesticides applied in fields are difficult to control,” says PANNA. “And many of them are applied in close proximity to children at homes, schools, and sometimes tracked in homes on shoes or clothes. Children’s health advocates are calling on policymakers to respond to the increased information about the harms of pesticides by adopting greater protections and identifying solutions to ensure farmers are supported in transitioning to more kid- and environmentally-friendly farming practices.”