The 2021 Dirty Dozen has been released by The Environmental Working Group.
Did you know that home gardeners spray 10x more pesticides on their yards and gardens each year than the agricultural industry?
The Dirty Dozen list outlines pesticide levels on popular fruits and vegetables. This well-known list has become a key resource for consumers and gardeners who are looking to limit contact with harmful pesticides through the foods they eat and grow.
At Arber we are focused on providing you with the knowledge and products to avoid interaction with harmful chemical synthetics and pesticides. All of our Arber products are a great alternative to those harmful ingredients
We’ve put together a list of Nine chemical and natural pesticide ingredients that any gardener and consumer should be on the lookout to avoid.
Did you know that home gardeners spray 10x more pesticides on their yards and gardens each year than the agricultural industry?
The Dirty Dozen list outlines pesticide levels on popular fruits and vegetables. This well-known list has become a key resource for consumers and gardeners who are looking to limit contact with harmful pesticides through the foods they eat and grow.
At Arber we are focused on providing you with the knowledge and products to avoid interaction with harmful chemical synthetics and pesticides. All of our Arber products are a great alternative to those harmful ingredients
We’ve put together a list of Nine chemical and natural pesticide ingredients that any gardener and consumer should be on the lookout to avoid.
Nasty Nine
CHECK YOUR PLANT PRODUCT LABELS FOR THE FOLLOWING PESTICIDES AND CHEMICALS:
01 Urea
- Commonly Found in: Fertilizers
- Arber Alternative: Plant Food
- Negative Effects:
- Environmental pollutant
- Runoff harms good microbes found in soil, causes Nitrate pollution, and harms freshwater ecosystems
- Causes excessive and unnatural growth in plants
02 Copper
- Commonly Found in: Fungicides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Fungicide and Bio Protectant
- Negative Effects:
- Environmental pollutant
- Major harm to aquatic life
- Exacerbates effects of ocean acidification and warming
- Long term exposure can be toxic to humans
03 Diatomaceous Earth
- Commonly Found in: Indoor Plant Insecticides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Insecticide
- Negative Effects:
- Chronic health effects to humans, including cancer and a negative impact on reproduction
- Harmful when inhaled!!
04 Neem Oil
- Commonly Found in: Organic Fungicides and Insecticides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Insecticide, Bio Fungicide and Bio Protectant
- Negative Effects:
- Very Harmful to bees and other beneficial insects
05 Neonics
- Commonly Found in: Indoor Plant Insecticides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Insecticide
- Negative Effects:
- Harmful to pollinators, bees, song birds, and contaminating the aquatic environment
- Banned in numerous major retailers and countries around the world, but still available in the US
- Registered as a chemical
06 Pyrethins & Pyrethroids (synthetic version)
- Commonly Found in: Insecticides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Insecticide
- Negative Effects:
- Harmful to pollinators, bees, and beneficial insects
- Toxic to fish and aquatic life
- Affects the human nervous system, leading to paralysis and even death
- Cats are extremely susceptible to poisoning
- Registered as a chemical because of toxicity
07 Spinosad
- Commonly Found in: Insecticides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Insecticide
- Negative Effects:
- Harmful to pollinators, bees, and beneficial insects
- Toxic to fish and aquatic life
- Very bad with resistance, don’t spray more then twice per season
- Registered as a chemical because of toxicity
08 Sulfur
- Commonly Found in: Fungicides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Fungicide
- Negative Effects:
- Known to irritate skin, lungs, and mucous membranes
- Causes rashes and skin calluses on humans
09 Triazoles
- Commonly Found in: Fungicides
- Arber Alternative: Bio Fungicide
- Negative Effects:
- Harmful to human reproductive systems; endocrine disruptors
- Triazoles are banned in the EU and heavily restricted
- In general, you should look out for anything with “azole” at the end as this indicates harmful pesticides
Arber is free of any harsh synthetics and you won’t see the Nasty Nine on any label. Your kids, plants, and pollinators are safe with us. Follow along for more tips and tricks at @growarber.