Second most common weed killer is a far greater hazard than we were told

I’ve spent years warning you about the dangers of Roundup, the most widely used weed killer in the U.S.

But now scientists are saying that the second most commonly used chemical to zap weeds may be just as hazardous for your health.

It could even kill you.

It’s called atrazine, and over 70 million pounds of this stuff are sprayed every year on farms, pastures, golf courses and right in our own back yards.

It turns out the chemical is much more toxic than we ever imagined, and could put you on the fast track to cancer.

The damage starts at levels we’re being exposed to every day. And it’s never been more important to take three important steps right now to get atrazine out of your life for good.

The science is settled

“The only path forward is an all-out ban. It’s just too toxic.”

That’s what scientist Nathan Donley has to say about atrazine. But lots of luck with that idea, because protecting us from this toxic menace is in the hands of the EPA.

The agency just released its newest report on atrazine, and it took 500 pages to cover how it’s poisoning animals and the environment. The EPA is still working on another study about the risk it poses to people.

I can only imagine how long that one will be.

And don’t think the EPA did this look-see because it really wanted to. It’s required by law to review approved pesticides at least every 15 years.

But what this lengthy report found is something that has stunned even scientists who thought they had seen everything.

For example, since the agency’s last review of the chemical 13 years ago, animal studies have been published that are giving us a look at just how dangerous atrazine is.

One study even found that when frogs were exposed to atrazine, male frogs turned into females! That’s more than just an interesting science finding — it’s absolutely terrifying.

As I told you, the EPA is finalizing a report about the risks of human exposure next. But as one expert put it, that science has “been settled for a long time.”

You see, five years ago the agency released the findings of a special panel of scientists brought together to review the human health dangers. And that panel found that the evidence points to atrazine as being a likely cause of ovarian cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of leukemia and thyroid cancer.

And another recent study has found that high amounts in drinking water could cause a variety of birth defects in people.

So the question now is, will the EPA finally ban it?

I wouldn’t bet on it. The agency already had its chance back in 2003. That was when it secretly met with the giant chemical company that manufacturers it and then green lighted atrazine’s continued use.

And that was the same year that the European Union banned atrazine outright!

Well, I’m not going to wait around for the EPA to step in and do something here, and you shouldn’t, either. So here are three ways you can reduce your exposure right now:

1. Since atrazine is the most commonly found pesticide in drinking water, get a water filter that is certified to remove it, which not all are. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s water-filter buying guide here to find one.
2. As the chemical can remain in soil for up to a year, take your shoes off at the door to avoid tracking it into your home. And don’t let your kids or grandkids play on or near fields or lawns that may have been sprayed with it.
3. There are over 200 different weed-killing products that contain atrazine, so be careful about what you use at home and always read labels. Or better yet, why not stop using toxic sprays on weeds altogether?

After all, your home is your castle — don’t let these billion-dollar companies turn it into a chemical dump.

Sources:
“What you need to know about the EPA’s assessment of atrazine” Elizabeth Grossman, June 6, 2016, Civil Eats, civileats.com