National Office
CSTE
2872 Woodcock Blvd
Suite 303
Atlanta, GA 30341
770-458-3811
770-458-8516
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Indicator 11: Acute Work-Related Pesticide Poisonings Reported to Poison Control Centers |
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| • Annual number and rate of work-related pesticide poisonings reported to state Poison Control Centers |
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| Data Source: Numbers of pesticide-associated illness and injury: American Association of Poison Control Centers. Employment statistics used to calculate rates: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey. |
A pesticide is a substance or mixture of substances used to prevent or control undesired insects, plants, animals, or fungi. In the U.S., approximately one billion pounds of pesticides are used annually, contained in more than 16,000 pesticide products.1 Although the value of pesticides in protecting the food supply and controlling disease vectors is well recognized, it is also recognized that pesticides can cause harm to people and the environment. Adverse health effects from exposure vary depending on the amount and route of exposure and the type of chemical used. Agricultural workers and pesticide applicators are at greatest risk for the more severe pesticide poisonings.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are 20,000 to 40,000 work-related pesticide poisonings per year.2 National estimates of pesticide poisoning are not available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Poison Control Center (PCC) data are useful for monitoring pesticide poisonings nationally because PCCs service almost the entire U.S. population, even though calls to state and regional PCCs are estimated to capture only approximately 10% of acute occupational pesticide-related illness cases.3 A small number of states have active programs for occupational pesticide surveillance; seven of these states documented 1,009 individuals with acute occupational pesticide-related illness (including three deaths) in a two-year period, for an incidence rate of 1.2 per 100,000 full-time workers. 4
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| Data |
| • 2000 click here to view table |
| • 2001 click here to view table |
| • 2002 click here to view table |
| • 2003 click here to view table |
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1 Calvert GM, Plate DK, Das R, Rosales R, Shafey O, Thomsen C, Males D, Beckman J, Arvizu, E, Lackovic M. Acute occupational pesticide-related illness in the US, 1998-1999: Surveillance findings from the SENSOR-pesticides program. Am J Ind Med. 2004; 45:114-23.
2 Blondell J. Epidemiology of pesticide poisonings in the United States, with special reference to occupational cases. J Occup Med. 1997;12:209-220.
3 Calvert GM, Mehler LN, Rosales R, Baum L, Thomsen C, Male D, Shafey O, Das R, Lackovic M, Arvizu E. Acute pesticide-related illnesses among working youths, 1988-1999. Am J Public Health. 2003; 93:605-610.
4 Blondell J. Epidemiology of pesticide poisonings in the United States, with special reference to occupational cases. J Occup Med. 1997;12:209-220.
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