The waters in and around Hawai‘i may look picture-perfect to the naked eye, but potentially dangerous herbicides and pesticides are lurking beneath that beauty.
A recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study found widespread pesticide contamination in many streams, ponds, and canals. Between 2015 and 2019, researchers tested 78 sites near agricultural or developed land and found pesticide pollution on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, and the Island of Hawai‘i. Even ocean water near the shoreline, where locals and tourists swim, revealed traces of pesticides and other chemicals.
Herbicides and Pesticides in Paradise
The government survey detected 117 different herbicides and pesticides in the water. Thirty of them, including herbicides like atrazine, insecticides such as fipronil, and fungicides like azoxystrobin, were recorded at numerous locations. Survey findings included:
- 86% of samples contained a mix of two or more pesticides
- Several storm samples exceeded federal aquatic-life safety benchmarks
- In at least one sample, atrazine exceeded federal drinking water standards
Even at low concentrations, repeated or long-term exposure to this chemical mixture poses serious risks, especially when people live, work, or raise children near contaminated water.
We can help.
Cancer Risks From Herbicides and Pesticides Exposure
Long-term pesticide exposure is linked to serious health risks, including cancer. A 2024 study cited by Medical News Today found that agricultural pesticide use in the U.S. is associated with cancer incidence as strongly as smoking cigarettes.
“In our study, we found that for some cancers, the effect of agricultural pesticide usage is comparable in magnitude to the effect of smoking,” said Dr. Isain Zapata, the study’s senior author and a professor at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The research found increased risk of leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and bladder cancer. Despite this, glyphosate, primarily sold under Monsanto’s brand name Roundup, remains a widely used weed killer in agriculture and landscaping.
Are Pesticides Harmful to Humans? A National Debate
The national debate over pesticide exposure is getting louder since Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the U.S. Secretary of Health, pledged to create an “off-ramp” from America’s reliance on pesticides.
“The chemicals pollute our bodies the same way they pollute the soil,” Kennedy said in 2024.
According to a New York Times article, Kennedy’s commission on chronic diseases will investigate herbicides pesticides, along with other concerns like vaccines and microplastics.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies glyphosate herbicide as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
More than 8% of Americans tested in a national survey had traces of glyphosate herbicide in their urine, and farmworkers had 10 times more than the general population. That kind of data raises legal and ethical questions that can’t be ignored.
What This Means for Hawai‘i and Pesticide Exposure
The combination of federal studies, medical research, and growing regulatory pressure gives weight to legal claims for those exposed to dangerous chemicals, either through contaminated water or other forms of contact. As a result, residents may be entitled to pursue claims related to:
- Negligence in the application or oversight of hazardous chemicals
- Failure to warn about health risks tied to pesticide exposure
- Environmental law violations, particularly regarding Clean Water Act standards or state protections
These cases are not only about compensation, they’re about preventing future harm and forcing change in how agricultural chemicals are used and monitored.
How We Help Victims of Pesticide Exposure
With a wealth of experience prosecuting herbicide and pesticide exposure cases, our Hawai‘i pesticides lawyers have battled corporate giants on behalf of individuals like you for over 40 years, aggressively fighting to hold them responsible for failing to keep workers safe. If you have suffered catastrophic injury or cancer caused by Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller or other harmful chemicals, we can help.
