The Dirty Dozen

The 'Dirty Dozen' and EDC's

Cancer causing pesticides, perfumes & preservatives. Cancer prevention? Here is an easy win.

Avoid known chemical cancer-causing dangers: choose your food intake and manage your environment. This is important for you but very much more important for your children and grandchildren because action now can prevent them ever getting certain cancers.

The key take home message is: 

1. Minimize your pesticide exposure.
2. Avoid EDC's [endocrine disrupting chemicals].

Cancer risks of pesticides [organophosphate herbicides, fungicides and insecticides]

The science is strong. A Canadian review concluded:

" … there is … a positive relationship between exposure to pesticides and development of brain, prostate, and kidney cancers, as well as Non Hodgkin Lymphoma and leukaemia" [1].

The New York University group reviewed 63 quality studies and said:

"… much of the recent evidence suggests causal relationships between pesticide exposure and cancer: the strongest evidence exists for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and colorectal cancer (CRC) [2].
Research has documented the ability of numerous pesticides to induce genotoxicity, hormone disruption, oxidative stress, inflammation, immune modulation and procarcinogen activation."

Parkinson's Disease [PD]

A recent 'UK.gov' paper - Industrial Injuries Advisory Council Position Paper 19; on PD and pesticides states:

"There is a growing body of literature which suggests that exposure to pesticides may have a role in the causation of Parkinson's disease (PD). …… However, it is not possible from current evidence to identify the specific pesticides, if any, which may be involved in the causation of PD'[3].

There may be impact on other neuro-degenerative conditions.

Dementia

Exposure to specific metals, pesticides, solvents, and air pollution influences the incidence of dementia [4].

Why pesticides are so very dangerous

You know pesticides accumulate in the body: therefore longer exposure = greater risk. 

In the NYU paper Cavalier et al say "the relationships show that increased exposure granularly increases risk, strengthening the claim that the relationship is in fact causal".

Critically, maternal exposure influences unborn children: pesticides increase childhood cancer.

Did you know about Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals EDC's?

First: There is no good evidence that 'natural 'hormones ever cause cancer. However, as natural hormones and particularly sex hormones are involved in the growth and repair of many tissues [breast uterus, prostate etc], it is logical to treat a cancer in one of these tissues/ organs by suppressing the relevant sex hormone to slow growth. That is a completely different proposition and does not indicate causation.

Second: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals [EDCs]) are substances in the air, soil, or water supply, food sources, personal care products, and manufactured products that interfere with the normal function of your body's endocrine system. Since EDCs come from many different sources, people are exposed in several ways, including the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. EDCs also can enter the body through the skin.

"Hormones interact with specific targets (receptors). These interactions lead to the regulation of … growth, development, reproduction, energy balance, metabolism and body weight regulation. Exogenous chemicals can interfere with this complex communication system and cause adverse health effects. Throughout their lives, humans are exposed to a wide array of these so-called EDCs through eg their work, consumer products, medications, natural resources, or military service. This exposure increases the risk of reproductive impairment, cognitive deficits, metabolic diseases and various cancers." [5]

Where are the problems? Typical EDCs and sources are shown below

[https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/edc]

EDC	Source
DDT, Chlorpyrifos, Atrazine, 2,	Pesticides
Lead, Phthalates, Cadmium	Children's Products
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and Dioxins	Industrial Solvents or Lubricants and their Byproducts
Bisphenol A (BPA), Phthalates, Phenol	Plastics and Food Storage Materials
Brominated Flame Retardants, PCBs	Electronics and Building Materials
Phthalates, Parabens, UV Filters	Personal Care Products, Sunscreen
Triclosan	Anti-Bacterial Soaps, Colgate Total
Perfluorochemicals	Textiles, Clothing, Non-Stick Food Wrappers,  Microwave Popcorn Bags, Old Teflon Cookware

Shopping decisions to avoid EDCs

Avoid pesticides and industrial chemicals at home, use water soluble paints, never refill plastic water bottles and use refillable metal, glass or BPA free plastic. Only buy furniture that has no dangerous flame retardants.

There is no need for antibacterial soaps - warmwater and soap and a rub are equally effective.

Use scent-free personal care products like shampoo, moisturizer, conditioner, deodorant [the artificial perfumes are the EDCs] and read the labels of everything else. Ditto for perfumed room scents [use natural essential oils] and especially laundry and cleaning products. Never add super smell products or conditioners to your laundry.

Other actions

Microwave food in ceramic or glass 

Pesticides in fresh food - The Dirty Dozen

The UK Government monitors residue levels in food consumed in the UK. The Pesticide Action Network [PAN] publishes the Dirty Dozen list. 

This is the fruit and vegetables contaminated with multiple pesticides ie herbicides [weedkillers], insecticides or fungicides [aimed at moulds]. Fruit and vegetables can be sprayed several times during growing and often most intensively just before picking/sale. Not every risk is on the skin of the food. The larger more perfect and appetising it looks – the more likely it is to be contaminated.

Grains

There is evidence of pesticide build up in oats, both chlormequat [6] and glyphosate[7]. You really have to buy organic oats and rice.

Shopping decisions to avoid pesticides.

The Dozen now are Peaches/Nectarines; Grapes; Strawberry; Cherries; Spinach; Apples; Brussel Sprouts; Cucumber; Tomato; Apricots; Lettuce; Beans with pods.

This is a depressing list. Serious culprits over a 5 year period include in addition: all citrus fruits; Dried fruits; Herbs; Pre-packed salad leaves.

A recent article in the Guardian highlighted kale, bell peppers, imported green beans, watermelon and blueberries as high risk. Most potatoes are contaminated. Sweet potatoes apparently not. Sugar snap peas are not a problem, organic blueberries are safe and cheaper if you buy frozen [8].

Best solutions

Organic produce is pesticide free [but still needs washing]. Most of us cannot either afford to eat organic all the time nor find everything we want in an organic form. If something you want is likely to be sprayed then peel or wash thoroughly [see below].

Washing strategies

Do wash all fruit and vegetables to remove field dirt, germs from the people who handled it and pesticides. If it is a vegetable like cucumber, then peel it.

Several studies have looked at washing strategies. The comparison between commercial and domestic options shows that if you have ozone activated water you get the best results. But for us at home - the main options are plain water, vinegar or bicarbonate. The data shows that running water and wiping is better than just soaking in plain water. This will removed 30-50% of pesticide. As many pesticides are water resistant [hydrophobic] adding vinegar or bicarbonate to the water increases the effectiveness. Bicarbonate comes out best: 5% solution ie a teaspoon per 200 ml will remove 65-85% of pesticide, if left for 20 minutes. Rinse and dry afterwards.

Summary

If you know the risks and take care you can minimise the hazards. Be very vigilant around children.

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[1] Bassil KL, et al. Cancer health effects of pesticides: systematic review. Can Fam Physician. 2007 Oct;53(10):1704-11. PMID: 17934034; PMCID: PMC2231435.

[2] Cavalier H, Trasande L, Porta M. Exposures to pesticides and risk of cancer: Evaluation of recent epidemiological evidence in humans and paths forward. Int J Cancer. 2023 Mar 1;152(5):879-912. doi: 10.1002/ijc.34300. Epub 2022 Oct 25. PMID: 36134639; PMCID: PMC9880902.

[3] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7eb03b40f0b62305b82882/iiac-pp19.pdf

[4] Killin LOJ, Starr JM, Shiue IJ, Russ TC. Environmental risk factors for dementia: a systematic review. BMC Geriatr. (2016) 16:175. doi: 10.1186/s12877-016-0342-y

[5] La Merrill MA, et al Consensus on the key characteristics of endocrine-disrupting chemicals as a basis for hazard identification. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2020 Jan;16(1):45-57. doi: 10.1038/s41574-019-0273-8. Epub 2019 Nov 12. PMID: 31719706; PMCID: PMC6902641.

[6] A pilot study of chlormequat in food and urine from adults in the United States from 2017 to 2023. Tempkin A et al. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 34, 317–321 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-024-00643-4

[7] Cruz JM, Murray JA. Determination of glyphosate and AMPA in oat products for the selection of candidate reference materials. Food Chem. 2021 Apr 16;342:128213. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128213. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 33129618; PMCID: PMC8207808.

[8] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/18/fruits-vegetables-most-pesticide-risk