"Widespread pesticide use is polluting waters throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed as well as imperiling the health of a host of organisms, ranging from oysters to humans.

And scientists are “desperately” calling for further investigation into what happens to living things when they’re exposed to haphazard mixtures of these myriad chemicals at once.

Those are among the top findings of a new review of more than 40 recent scientific studies examining the effects of pesticide use in the Chesapeake region and beyond. The 20-page report, released May 27 by the nonprofit Maryland Pesticide Education Network, singles out “forever chemicals” — officially called per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS — and atrazine, a common weed killer, as two of the most pressing threats. The report has not been peer reviewed.

Bonnie Raindrop, the network’s program director, said she hopes that putting the best and latest pesticide information in the hands of farmers, homeowners, lawmakers and fellow researchers will lead to better safeguards against pollution.

“Clearly, pesticides are having an effect and a damaging impact on Bay system health,” she said.

The report was primarily authored by the group’s Pesticides & the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Project, a coalition of more than 300 scientists, state regulatory officials, advocacy organization representatives, farmers and others.

The report does have some positive news. Citing a 2021 study conducted in the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers, the authors noted that efforts to control runoff from farm fields has reduced pesticide concentrations. They also pointed to the “thriving” population of ospreys throughout much of the Bay watershed as evidence that long-standing state and federal bans on DDT are working. . ."

Read the rest of the article at the Bay Journal