If you or someone you know has been exposed to pesticides: Call 911 if there is an emergency

If the victim is unconscious, having trouble breathing or not breathing call 911 and seek medical attention.

Pesticide Concerns
Pesticides are all around us. They are in our homes, parks, schools and often used to grow our food. Unfortunately pesticides do not always stay on target; they can drift and cause harm even if they are applied properly.

Pesticides by design are intended to kill. Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodentcides, germicides, sanitizers and disinfectants are all considered pesticides. Being able to buy pesticides in a store does not mean they are safe. Many pesticides require special training to apply. You must follow directions on the labels; even then you and your surroundings are subject to some risk. Most pesticides are poisons.

Pesticide exposures are real and need to be taken seriously. There are many different pesticides on the market all have their own set of dangers. Many short term symptoms may include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, weakness and stomach cramps. Longer term exposures to some pesticides can lead to cancer, endocrine disruption, Parkinson’s disease and lower IQ levels.

 

Poison Control Center
If you know the name of the pesticide you have been exposed to call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. This hot line is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The Poison Control Center can often tell you how to treat your symptoms. Poison Control Center staff are usually able to tell if you need medical treatment—if you know what you were exposed to.

 

Doctor and Veterinarian Form to Request Pesticide Records
Minnesota law prohibits pesticide application records from being made public. Minnesota only allows pesticide application information to be given to doctors and veterinarians. If you or your livestock have been injured have your doctor or veterinarian contact the Department of Agriculture (MDA) to try to find out the name of the chemical.

 

Doctor or Veterinarian Pesticide Application Form:
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/news/publications/chemfert/ag03089drvet.pdf

Help for Doctors
Pesticide poisoning often mimics flu symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, weakness and stomach cramps. Many people do not even realize that they have been poisoned. Unfortunately, even if you know you were exposed to pesticides, most doctors are not trained to diagnose pesticide poisonings. Make sure to tell your doctor that you believe you are experiencing pesticide poisoning-related symptoms.

Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA) offers a tool to help search for pesticides that may be responsible for a poisoning by observed symptoms, crop, pesticide type and geographic area.

PANNA Pesticide Symptom Tool
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Search_Poisoning.jsp

Pesticide Education offers a physician education course designed to help doctors acquaint themselves with occupational pesticide exposures and to help reduce the risks associated with handling pesticides.

Physician Education Course: Pesticide Exposure
http://www.pesticideeducation.com/

Children and Pesticides
Children’s behaviors—such as putting toys in their mouths and playing outdoors—put them at a higher risk of pesticide exposure than adults. Children’s bodies and brains are still developing, making them more vulnerable. Many exposures that have no impact on adults can permanently affect fetuses, babies and children.

• If you suspect pesticides have drifted into your yard:
  • Wash all out door toys including swing sets and bikes.
  • void contact with all surface areas until they are cleaned.
• If you see a pesticide application occurring near your home:
  • Never eat out doors when a pesticide application is taking place.
  • Close your doors and windows.
  • Go indoors and consider leaving the area.
• Dirt and dust tracked into you home can contain pesticides. Taking off your shoes at the door can reduce the dirt and dust by 80% in your home. The chemical 2, 4-D used often for lawn care has been shown to track into homes with dirt and dust. This pesticide can remain in carpets for one year.

Avoid using insect repellents containing DEET on young children. DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is a commonly used, yet controversial, insect repellent. Scientists have raised concerns about DEET’s toxic properties when used alone and in combination with other chemicals.

Beyond Pesticides: DEET Alternatives
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/mosquito/documents/LesstoxRepellents.pdf

Information on children’s health and pesticides
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn/factsheets/Pesticide.children.dontmix.pdf

Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Duty Officer
In Minnesota the Department of Agriculture is responsible for pesticide records, enforcement and investigations of misuse of pesticides.

Call the MDA at 651-201-6121 Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. After hours, complaints can be reported to the Minnesota Duty Officer at 800-422-0798 out state and 651-649-5451 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul seven county metro area. Make sure to tell the Minnesota Department of Agriculture that you want to file a report.

For more information, please call the Agricultural Chemical Investigation Unit at 651-201-6696.

Filing a report
All reports are confidential. Please consider helping Clean Water Action and the State of Minnesota track pesticide misuse and human exposure cases by filling out and sending us the form below:

http://www.mda.state.mn.us/news/publications/licensing/pest&fert/ag00155pestfert.pdf. You must print and sign pesticide complaint to be a valid logged complaint. Fax signed copy to 651-201-6117 or mail signed copy to:

Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert St. North
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-2538

Ask in writing for a copy of the formal complaint that has been date stamped received by the Department of Agriculture as proof that you filed a report with in 45 days.

Please send us a copy of your report at:

Julie Jansen (jjansen@cleanwater.org) or

Clean Water Action
Attn: Pesticide Campaign
308 E Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Consult an attorney
To be able to file a legal suit you must document your incident.

• If possible, take pictures or video tape pesticide misuse.
• If your clothing has been contaminated remove it, place it in a sealed plastic bag and freeze.
• Ask your doctor to swab your skin if you know pesticide drift has contacted your skin.
• Note any witnesses and gather their contact information.
• Ask the Department of Agriculture (MDA) for copies and keep your own paper records.
• Keep notes of who you talk to, and when at the Department of Agriculture.
• If there was a crop being sprayed note the crop. If it is an aerial application note any identifying numbers or names on the plane.
• Note the name of any company and license plate number if possible.
• Document date, time, wind direction and wind speed. Your local airport will have wind direction and wind speed records.

If there are damages to health or property note there is a two-year statue of limitations for filing a lawsuit. Please be aware that there is a 45 day time limit for filing a complaint with the MDA for damage to crops and ornamentals from the date of the pesticide application. The Department of Agriculture will only investigate misuse and issue fines if laws have been violated. MDA will not recover damages for you. It is important to keep checking on the MDA investigation. Ask for a copy of the investigation report to be sent to you. Be aware the agency will charge you per page for copies of the investigation report.

More ways you can get involved:

Healthy alternatives to foods raised without pesticides
When you can, buy organic foods. If you cannot find organics you can find out which foods are farmed with fewer pesticides and are the least toxic alternatives.
http://www.foodnews.org/
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/organicfood/purchasing/index.htm

Look for alternatives to using pesticides and try to use the least toxic alternatives
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/alternatives/factsheets/index.htm
http://healthylegacy.org/consumer_weeds.cfm

Sign our petition: help make pesticide records available to everyone
Everyone should have access to information about where, when and what pesticides are applied in our communities. This is especially true if we are experiencing pesticide drift on an ongoing basis. Many pesticides cause health problems such as cancer. Everyone needs this basic information to make informed decisions to reduce exposure and protect ourselves from these health risks.

Please sign our petition to make all records public data.

Sign up to volunteer to help reduce pesticide use in Minnesota
Volunteer to write letters to editor, attend meetings, hearings and other events.

Donate to help us protect people from pesticide drift.

Resources

http://cleanwater.org/
http://www.healthylegacy.org/
http://www.panna.org/
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/
http://www.iatp.org/
http://www.mncenter.org/