This petition emerged from a deeply personal experience, because my health, my life, and my children, are critically affected by atrazine, a pesticide commonly used in agriculture. Atrazine is known for its adverse effects on the environment and human health, yet it is still being applied on our crops (Environmental Protection Agency, 2020). Atrazine contaminates our water supply, our food, and potentially threatens our wellbeing and the health of the generations that follow.
Multiple studies have linked atrazine to hormonal disruptions, birth defects, even cancer (Natural Resources Defense Council, 2010). Despite these alarming facts, the use of atrazine in agriculture remains rampant because of its cost-effectiveness. On a global scale, 70-80 million pounds of Atrazine are used annually, marking its widespread and potentially hazardous use (US National Library of Medicine & National Institutes of Health, 2003).
It is high time to prioritize our health and the safety of our communities. A lasting change is needed, a change that eschews short-term economic benefits for long-term health and environmental sustainability. Let us demand the cessation of using atrazine in agricultural practices, for our health, for our children, for our future. Please sign this petition to voice your support.