More than 40% of pesticides discovered in dust linked to toxic effects including cancer and hormone disruption.

Almost 200 pesticides have been found by a study examining dust in homes around Europe, as scientists say regulators need to take “toxic cocktail” of chemicals into account when banning or restricting the use of pesticides.

Scientists say their research supports the idea that regulators should assess the risks posed by pesticides when they react with other chemicals, as well as individually. They say this should apply to substances already in use, as well as those yet to be approved.

In preliminary findings from the largest study of its kind, scientists examining household dust from homes in 10 European countries in 2021 detected 197 pesticides in total.

More than 40% of the pesticides found in the dust have been linked to highly toxic effects, including cancer and disruption of the hormonal system in humans.

The number of pesticides in each home ranged between 25 and 121, and levels of pesticides tended to be higher in the homes of farmers.

Prof Paul Scheepers, of the Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, said: “We have many epidemiological studies showing that diseases are associated with mixtures of pesticides.”

He said the pesticides in dust found their way into people homes via shoes, as well as cats and dogs. “If we don’t take off the shoes at the doorstep, then we take in a lot of dirt from outside. Pets are also a source,” Scheepers said.

There are many studies indicating that animals collect certain contaminations, also including pesticides, from outdoors. Another group are the consumer products that we bring into our homes any pesticides that we buy in the shop for certain reasons, and an important source is flea and tick treatments for pets.

Lees het hele artikel in The Guardian.