Kids Even More Vulnerable to Pesticides Than Previously Believed, Study Shows: "'Children are born with lower levels of our bodies' natural defenses against toxic pesticides,' said Dr. Gina Solomon, M.D., a physician and senior scientist at NRDC. 'Unfortunately, the officials responsible for keeping kids safe are ignoring the clear scientific evidence confirming that we need stronger protection for the most vulnerable among us.'"
EPA banned chlorpyrifos and diazinon for household use in December 2001 and December 2002 respectively, largely due to their hazards to children, but allowed continued use on agricultural crops. More than 1.5 million pounds of chlorpyrifos were used in California in 2003. The top uses were on cotton, alfalfa, almonds and walnuts. More than 500,000 pounds of diazinon were used in California in 2003, mostly on lettuce, peaches, almonds, prunes and spinach. Nationwide, the organophosphate pesticides account for 70 percent of all insecticides used, with 73 million pounds sold in 2001
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