It was a hot summer day back in the 90's when we found large ants invading our home. Our family abandoned ship and headed for the shore house. An exterminator took care of the problem but when we returned, the house had a horrendous pesticide smell for two weeks! Having already lost a sister due to cancer, the safety of my godchild living with us was a great concern. The exterminator assured us though that the insecticide was safe for humans. A new study now calls into question just how safe these indoor pesticides really are.
According to the New York Times blog, "Exposure to indoor, but not outdoor, residential insecticides was associated with a 47 percent increased risk for childhood leukemia and a 43 percent increased risk for childhood lymphomas". In addition, outdoor weed killers resulted in a 26% increased risk of brain tumors. Although the study was limited to a small data set, the research though not fully scientific is alarming. People living with extreme disabilities in particular already have enough problems and do not need anything else working against them. Just how much industry lobbyists are able to bypass medical concerns is not clear but I know spraying anything inside my home deemed poisonous is not something I would ever want around a pet let alone an infant if I felt I had a choice.
No comments:
Post a Comment