Exposure to multiple pesticides significantly increases the risk of childhood cancers, with new research showing higher rates of brain cancer and leukemia in agricultural communities.
Tom Perkins reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- A study of pediatric cancer cases in Nebraska found that exposure to pesticide mixtures increased brain cancer rates by 36%, leukemia by 23%, and overall childhood cancer rates by 30%.
- Researchers examined 32 pesticides, including dicamba, glyphosate, and paraquat, which are widely used in U.S. agriculture but banned in other countries.
- Children in farming regions face the highest risks, but pesticide exposure through food and water is a concern nationwide.
Key quote:
“As individuals, we aren’t just exposed to one chemical, but a mixture, so if you are just studying one chemical alone, then you are not able to capture the exposures — it gives you limited information.”
— Jabeen Taiba, University of Nebraska Medical Center and lead author of the study
Why this matters:
Pesticide regulation in the U.S. operates on the assumption that people encounter these chemicals individually, but real-world exposure is rarely that simple. The risks are particularly pronounced in farming communities, where pesticides can drift through the air, contaminate water supplies, and settle into household dust.
This study underscores a regulatory gap: Some of the chemicals examined remain legal in the U.S. despite being banned in other countries due to health risks. While individual pesticides undergo safety reviews, the combined effects of multiple exposures — what scientists call the "cocktail effect" — are far less understood. Public health experts warn that this oversight could have long-term consequences, as chronic exposure has been linked to developmental delays, respiratory problems, and even certain cancers.
Related EHN coverage: Agricultural pesticide exposure linked to childhood cancers, study says
