How are pesticides, particularly malathion, dangerous?
Bay Weekly, Mary J. Russell Published August 11, 2004 Organophosphate pesticides, which include the widely used insecticide malathion, are chemically related to nerve gases developed during World War II. For decades, scientists have been debating whether such pesticides cause birth defects, cancers and other health problems. Studies have shown links between regular exposure to malathion and various human maladies, including non-Hodgkins lymphoma, childhood leukemia, anemia, chromosome damage and weakened immune systems. Meanwhile, aerial sprayings have been known to cause allergic reactions or flu-like symptoms for people inadvertently exposed. Malathion was developed by the Swiss chemical giant Ciba-Geigy in the 1950s as an agricultural crop insecticide and for pest control in homes and gardens. Today, more than 15 million pounds are applied annually in the U.S., according to the Pesticide Action Network. While such organophosphates are used to control crop-damaging insects, they kill
