05/06/2026
Why are we sick? Here are the top 10 pesticides used in Australia. There are way more, but just to show you what goes into your food.
1. Paraquat - Wheat, pulses, vineyards - Lung toxicity, kidney/liver damage, Parkinson’s concern
2. Diquat - Pulses, potatoes, canola - Very toxic to aquatic life, eye damage, nervous-system toxicity
3. Atrazine - Sugarcane, sorghum, maize - Endocrine disruption, groundwater contamination, reproductive/developmental issues
4. Chlorpyrifos - Cotton, sugarcane, vegetables - Neurotoxicity, developmental brain issues, aquatic/insect toxicity
5. Dimethoate - Berries, fruit crops, vegetables - Nervous-system toxicity, organophosphate poisoning risk, child exposure concern
6. Fipronil - Bananas, brassicas, potatoes - Bee toxicity, aquatic invertebrate toxicity, bird/reptile/native fauna risk (Extensively used to kill native and commercial bees to try to 'contain' varroa outbreaks)
7. Imidacloprid - Cotton, vegetables, citrus - Bee toxicity, aquatic invertebrate toxicity, nervous-system effects
8. Mancozeb - Grapes, potatoes, tomatoes - Thyroid disruption, reproductive/developmental issues, cancer concern via ETU metabolite
9. Carbendazim - Tomatoes, potatoes, grapes - Reproductive toxicity concern, developmental toxicity , endocrine/liver concern
10. 2,4-D - Wheat, barley, sugarcane - Spray-drift damage, occupational exposure concern, endocrine disruptor /carcinogen.
Now is a good time to start growing your own food folks! 👌