Overview: Pesticides & Human Health

The document synthesizes findings from the Ontario College of Family Physicians (2007, 2012) and the Prince Edward Island Chief Public Health Office (2015) regarding the health risks of pesticides. It identifies significant associations between pesticide exposure and various cancers, reproductive issues, neurological disorders, and respiratory problems, with a particular emphasis on the vulnerability of pregnant women and children. The authors advocate for the precautionary principle and the banning of non-essential cosmetic pesticide use.

• Pesticide exposure is linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer. A 2007 review found positive relationships with brain, prostate, and kidney cancers, leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). A 2015 review provided 'good evidence' for associations with NHL, cutaneous melanoma, and certain childhood cancers including Ewing’s sarcoma and neuroblastoma.
• Prenatal and childhood exposures are associated with adverse reproductive and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Evidence indicates links to altered fetal growth, low birth weight, and birth defects such as cleft palate and neural tube defects. In children, organophosphate exposure during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of ADHD and autism spectrum disorders.
• Pesticide exposure is associated with various neurological disorders in adults and children. Findings include 'good' evidence for links to Parkinson’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), as well as associations with Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and impaired mental development in adolescents.
• Exposure to certain pesticide classes, specifically organophosphates and carbamates, is linked to adverse respiratory impacts, including atopic asthma and wheezing in children up to six years of age.
• Pregnant women and children are identified as highly vulnerable populations due to rapid cell division in embryos, developing organs in children, and physiological differences such as higher breathing rates and more frequent hand-to-mouth contact.
• Acute pesticide poisoning in Canada is estimated to affect approximately 6,000 people annually, with children accounting for 47% of these cases.

APA

Arnold, I., Perrotta, K., & Sears, M. (2017). Overview: Pesticides & Human Health. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Pesticides-Health-Backgrounder-Sept-22-2017.pdf

Chicago

Arnold, Ian, Kim Perrotta, and Meg Sears. Overview: Pesticides & Human Health. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2017. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Pesticides-Health-Backgrounder-Sept-22-2017.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Arnold |first1=Ian |last2=Perrotta |first2=Kim |last3=Sears |first3=Meg |title=Overview: Pesticides & Human Health |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=August 2017 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Pesticides-Health-Backgrounder-Sept-22-2017.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{arnold2017overview, author = {Arnold, Ian and Perrotta, Kim and Sears, Meg}, title = {{Overview: Pesticides \& Human Health}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2017}, month = aug, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Pesticides-Health-Backgrounder-Sept-22-2017.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }