Why is diazinon dangerous?
By Sean Gray, December 2000 Diazinon is one of a class of pesticides called organophosphates (OPs), chemicals that were originally developed by the German company I.G. Farben as nerve gases during World World II. Even short-term exposure to diazinon and other OPs can damage the brain and nervous system. Symptoms can range from headaches, nausea, dizziness, and seizures to paralysis, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome, comas, and death in extreme cases. Pesticide industry studies conducted on laboratory animals show that children are more susceptible to diazinon than are adults. After reviewing thousands of scientific studies–most of which were generated by the pesticide industry–the EPA concluded in June 2000 that all common household uses of diazinon are unsafe.
