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Water

To better understand how pesticides are affecting ecosystems and human health, it is important to know where they end up in the environment. Neonics are highly water soluble. They have to be because they are systemic pesticides, i.e. they are designed to be absorbed into the plant itself. Some of the neonics used on lawns, golf courses and agricultural fields, as a result, are absorbed into the target plants they are used on, but the majority of the chemicals move into the air, soil and ultimately water. For example, for neonic-treated seeds, the chemical industry’s own research shows roughly 5% of the pesticide coating is taken up into the plant, while the remaining 95% escapes into the environment, ending up in rivers, ground water, and the ocean. 

Rivers

Testing

Aquatic
Life

Fifty-six percent of Connecticut rivers tested have neonics present at levels exceeding EPA benchmarks for aquatic life.
 

For years, imidacloprid, a neonic used on lawns and golf courses, has been detected in Connecticut surface and groundwater at levels exceeding acute exposure for aquatic life.

Norwalk River testing shows declines in sensitive river insect populations, like mayflies, as levels of imidacloprid increase over time. Without aquatic insects, there will be no fish, frogs, or even birds.

Drinking Water

USGS testing shows neonics in CT ground water, a cause for concern in a state where so many people rely on well water. Originally thought to be safer for people than many of the older pesticides, a growing body of evidence links neonics to a range of human health harms, especially for children.

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