Horticulture and Forestry Advisory Board Minutes 2007 06 07

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Horticultural & Forestry Advisory Board Minutes DATE Page 3 of 5 In 1995 1.2 billion pounds of active ingredients in pesticides were used in this country. That total, Tim said, does not include the inactive ingredients that break apart and reform into synergistic effects and compound effects. Tim sees the problem with pesticides being that the chemicals are released and used until there is a problem. Only once there is a known problem with a pesticide does the EPA require that people stop using it. Tim believes instead that we should assume that pesticides are unsafe until proof is given that we can use them without harm. Tim then gave us an overview of the chemicals that the City of Louisville is currently using. He made sure to mention that the following data comes from peer-reviewed scientific papers although he did not give us every reference; he has them to back up his statements. 2,4 d is a nerve agent that disrupts many functions in the body and can cause muscle twitching and convulsions. EPA says that it is not classifiable to human carcinogenicity although Tim found 5 studies that say it causes cancer iin animal studies. When Tim reviewed the EPA literature they said that they classify 2,4d as a carcinogen but cannot say that it causes cancer in humans because no study has been done on humans. Tim pointed out that in some cases less then 1/10 of 1 percent of a pesticide applied actually makes it into the target plant, the rest goes into the ecosystem. Dicamba is similar to 2,4d; it mimics plant auxins and is also a carcinogen. Some studies show that it causes plant diseases. Woody plants can't seem to process the chemical and die if roots are under turf that has had Dicamba applied. It also seems to effect soil organisms. Surflan is a pre-emergent that disrupts cell division that stops a seed from putting its roots out. It causes skin allergies and anemia. It causes reproduction problems and is classified as a carcinogen that also disrupts ecosystems. Glyphosate (Round-Up) disrups plant enzymes. In humans, it causes genetic damage as well as liver and kidney damage. Tim told of a study where cells were removed from a human body and exposed to the chemical and were damaged. Glyphosate also causes miscarriages and birth defects. Studies have shown that Glyphosate causes a 94% reduction of semen in the testicles of rats. New studies are showing connections to ADHD and ADD and the use of Glyphosate. Tim pointed out that all IOf these chemicals are derived from nerve agents and exposure can happen anywhere, playgrounds, sports fields, street