Then her eyes started watering, she began sneezing, her throat started itching and she began to have chest pain and trouble breathing. She hurried through her shopping, and it wasn't until she reached the checkout stand when she was told the store was being fumigated with an insecticide to control flies. Arceneaux was shocked that the store would apply pesticides during business hours, without warning customers, and without covering produce and other food to prevent contamination. As a regular late night shopper, she was even more outraged to learn that the spraying was done every night. Based on case reports they have collected since 1990, NCAP believes that supermarket misuse of pesticides is putting customers and workers at risk and potentially contaminating foods at stores around the country.
Pesticides are poisons.
The active ingredients of some pesticides commonly used on grocery stores are allergens, skin irritants and nervous symptom poisons. Some also disrupt natural hormones and reproduction. Recent research shows that, in some indoor applications, air concentrations of organic solvents may peak 10-14 hours after the application. Customers or employees may be experiencing exposure symptoms without realizing the cause. NCAP has also urged the agency to require warnings on supermarket doors if pesticide products are used on the premises, and to educate supermarket managers about pesticide hazards and safer ways to control pests.