Mudd and other environmental groups dispute these claims of confidentiality and said they were never informed of such a thing. CBE will take what it can get but the group will still fight for the rest of the information. Besides the obvious risk to the children, many herbicides have adverse effects on the environment. That is only a fraction of the 600 toxic chemicals the EPA collects data on annually, many of which are also in the groundwater. Herbicides and pesticides, some of which have been proven to be carcinogenic, are still being used by professional companies and in many cases by private residences.
Some studies reveal a connection between herbicides and certain types of cancer in children.
Studies have linked owners' use of 2,4-D and canine malignant cancer. Pesticides and herbicides have been detected in the groundwater. Some of these chemicals are bioaccumulative and volatile. They travel long distances in the atmosphere and then settle, decreasing fertility in birds and thinning their egg shells. The proof is there.