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Pesticides can cause a variety of different health effects depending on type of pesticide, the dose, and the route and timing of exposure. Health effects associated with pesticides include cancer, birth defects, reproductive disorders, neurotoxic effects, liver and kidney damage, and irritation/sensitization.
The following websites provide general information on pesticides and health:
You may also be interested in the webpages on Food & Fish and Body Burden.
Summary of Information on Washington State
From National Organizations:
The National Agricultural Statistics Service provides pesticide-use information for field crops, vegetables, winter wheat, fruit, and potatoes in Washington State. Information is available for each year from 1999 to 2003. The NASS also provides a searchable database of agricultural chemical statistics.
In 2006, the US Geological Service (USGS) has published a report on "Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Groundwater", including general information on Washington State. A total of 27 individual factsheets are available, containing detailed information on pesticides and other contaminants in water.
The USGS has also developed a National Water Quality Assessment Data Warehouse that contains data on levels of pesticides and other contaminants in samples of surface water and groundwater.
From State Organizations:
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) hosts the Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking (PIRT) system, which maintains records of pesticide incidents reported to state agencies. The 2005 PIRT Report presents combined data on pesticide incidents collected by government agencies in 2004 and a summary of the activities of PIRT for 2005. In 2004, the following state agencies collectively investigated the following numbers of pesticide related complaints:
Department of Agriculture (WSDA) – 200 pesticide-related complaints
Department of Ecology (DOE) – 29
Department of Health – 245
Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) – 43
Washington Poison Contol (WPC) – 2342
The Washington State Department of Agriculture maintains a list of pesticide-sensitive individuals in the State.
The Department of Ecology used to monitor levels of pesticides in surface waters in Washington State. The last report was published in 2000 and summarized data from 1997. The report is called Washington State Pesticide Monitoring Program: 1997 Surface Water sampling Report".
From Local Organizations:
City of Seattle & King County
The City of Seattle and King County have reported reduced pesticide use in recent years. The City of Seattle's two main goals of their Pesticide Reduction Program are to eliminate the use of the most potentially hazardous herbicides and insecticides and to achieve a 30% reduction in overall pesticide use.
In 2004, the USGS, in cooperation with the King County Department of Natural Resources, published a report on "Pesticides Detected in Urban Streams in King County, Washington, 1998-2003".
From Academic Institutions:
Researchers at the University of Washington have conducted several studies on pesticide levels in children in Washington State, including:
The National Institutes of Health, in collaboration with several universities including the University of Washington, published a study on "Residential Herbicide Use and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma". The study uses data from Seattle, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Iowa.
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Information on Washington State in Context
Washington is one of a few states with a system in place for tracking and reporting pesticide incidents: Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking (PIRT). Scientific research on pesticide exposure and body burden is available from multiple studies conducted in recent years, between 2001 and 2004.
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Quality of Information on Washington State
There is some information on pesticides and health in Washington State. The Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking (PIRT) system maintains records of pesticide incidents reported to State agencies and the State Department of Agriculture maintains a list of pesticide-sensitive individuals. There is also information on pesticide use on food crops in Washington State.
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General Information Sources
City of Seattle: www.seattle.gov/
Environmental Health Perspectives: ehp.niehs.nih.gov/
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County: www.govlink.org/hazwaste/index.cfm
National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA): www.nass.usda.gov/index.asp
US Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/
US Geological Survey: www.usgs.gov/
Washington State Department of Agriculture: agr.wa.gov/default.htm
Washington State Department of Health: www.doh.wa.gov/
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The Collaborative on Health and the Environment – Washington
