Children are especially vulnerable to the harm pesticides can cause.
Children take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults and are less able to detoxify toxic chemicals. Even at low levels, pesticides can affect adversely a child's neurological, respiratory, immune and endocrine system. Of the 48 most commonly used pesticides in schools, a majority threaten health. The EPA has little information on which pesticides are used and in what quantities, and limited data on short and long-term illnesses linked to pesticide exposure. Without this information the exact threats to children's health from pesticide exposure may never be known.