Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog

(Beyond Pesticides, September 1, 2026) A study of prenatal exposure to organophosphate esters, published in Environmental Research, documents a link to behavioral problems in early childhood. Organophosphate esters (OPEs), which form the chemical backbone of organophosphate pesticides (OPs), are a broad group of synthetic chemicals used in a wide array of products. Organophosphate insecticides, s…

(Beyond Pesticides, August 31, 2026) People from across the country focused on a small community in California this week with an action that tells Orange County, California leaders and its school district that there is national concern about a childhood cancer cluster in the community and urges the adoption of organic land management as a cost-effective and precautionary approach to protect child…

(Beyond Pesticides, August 28, 2026) A novel biomonitoring study, published in Neurotoxicology and Teratology, analyzes levels of pesticides and plasticizers in baby teeth, collected by parents after they are shed, in children with and without autism. In comparing teeth from the two groups of children, higher levels of pesticides are found in children with autism than in the control group. “We in…

(Beyond Pesticides, August 27, 2026) Pesticides contribute to an array of gynecological cancers (ovarian, endometrial, cervical, uterine, vaginal and vulvular, of which the first three are most common). A review by Iranian researchers examines studies of pesticide links to these diseases published between January 2000 and February 2025. The literature review encompasses human cohort, prospective …

(Beyond Pesticides, August 26, 2026) A childhood cancer cluster has been reported in the community of Ladera Ranch, an unincorporated development of over 20,000 people in Orange County, California. Residents, pressing for federal and state investigations, have documented at least six pediatric Ewing sarcoma diagnoses since 2013, including 17-year-old Brody Matteson, who died in March of this year…

(Beyond Pesticides, August 25, 2026) In a review of scientific literature on occupational exposure to pesticides and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, researchers find disproportionate risks to workers. “This meta-analysis reports increases of 61% to 71% in the risk of developing ALS in persons ever occupationally exposed to pesti…

(Beyond Pesticides, August 24, 2026) As the number of seed companies, which are also pesticide companies, consolidate through mergers, farmers face challenges associated with fewer seed choices, higher prices, less diversity, and proprietary genetically engineered organisms. To combat these problems, a nationwide action has been launched to tell members of the U.S. Congress to cosponsor the Fair …

(Beyond Pesticides, August 21, 2026) National environmental and health groups last week sued Driscoll’s, the fresh berry company, for allegedly misleading consumers about its hazardous practices and claims that its production practices and materials are “in harmony with the environment.” The case, Beyond Pesticides, Organic Consumers Association, and Toxin Free USA v. Driscoll’s Inc., was filed i…

(Beyond Pesticides, August 20, 2026) The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced on August 10, 2026, that all manufacturers of the toxic weed killer paraquat will voluntarily phase out the production and sale of products of this pesticide over two years. Instead of an immediate stop-use order, and despite the known adverse human health effects like neurodegeneration and Park…

(Beyond Pesticides, August 19, 2026) Adding to the wide body of science linking pesticides and resistance, a review in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology shows how persistent pesticide use disrupts microbial ecosystems and promotes antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multidrug resistance (MDR). Pesticides drive changes in microbial diversity, leading to adver…