Tim Pastoor, Ph.D., DABT
Former Principal Scientist, Syngenta
Expert Bio
Dr. Pastoor obtained his Ph.D. in toxicology from the University of Michigan, is certified by the American Board of Toxicology (DABT), and is a long-standing, active member of the Society of Toxicology. Dr. Pastoor has over 30 years of international experience in fundamental toxicity testing, mode of action research, and human health risk assessment.
Dr. Pastoor retired in 2015 from Syngenta as Principal Scientist and founded the company Pastoor Science Communications, LLC that is centered around his passion for sound science, communicated well.
For the majority of his career, including positions with DuPont, ICI, Zeneca, Novartis, and Syngenta, Dr. Pastoor led toxicology and risk assessment experts in the conduct of safety, health, and environmental studies to assess risk to humans and the environment. In those roles, he was involved in toxicological research projects and product development and was frequently asked to interact with media, community groups, legislators, and regulatory agencies. He is a frequent lecturer on toxicology and risk assessment subjects.
In addition to being founder and CEO of Pastoor Science Communications, he is president of the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI), a DC based non-profit organization dedicated to engaging scientists from academia, government, industry, research institutes, and NGOs to identify and resolve global health and environmental issues.
Studies, Articles and Answers
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Question
A: As parents, farmers, and community members ourselves, we care as much as anyone else about the health and well-being of our families, neighbors and environment. A buffer zone is typically an untreated area between an agricultural field and a protected structure or area. Currently, there are no across-the-board, “one size fits all” buffer zones mandated for pesticide users, and with good reason: the scientific evidence does not support buffer zones as the best approach to minimize undesired drift; and the factors that influence drift of pesticide sprays have been wel [...]
A: As parents, farmers, and community members ourselves, we care as much as anyone else about the health and well-being of our families, neighbors and environment. A buffer zone is typically an untreated area between an agricultural field and a protected structure or area. Currently, there are no across-the-board, “one size fits all” buffer zones mandated for pesticide users, and with good reason: the scientific evidence does not support buffer zones as the best approach to minimize undesired drift; and the factors that influence drift of pesticide sprays have been wel [...]
A: Thank you for submitting your question to GMO Answers. Each part of your question will be answered by a different expert, and we will be posting each answer as it becomes available. This is an evolving topic in Hawaii. Following are links to news articles which discuss legislation recently introduced related to buffer zones: Hawaii News Now, House kills controversial pesticide buffer zone bill, February 19,2015 Civil Beat, House Panel Rejects Bill to Impose Buffer Zones for Pesticides, February 19, 2015 Civil Beat, Hawaii Governor Supports Buffer Zones for Pesticide Spraying, February 12 [...]
A: Over atrazine’s 50+-year history, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with other regulatory agencies around the world, has conducted and reviewed more than 7,000 scientific studies to evaluate its safety, including any reproductive or developmental toxicity. These studies consistently have shown atrazine does not cause harmful effects to human health, including potential for birth defects or reproductive complications. In fact, the World Health Organization specifically stated in a 2007 report atrazine is not a cause of birth defects. And in 2011, an EPA [...]
A: There is a lot of really great information regarding glyphosate on GMO Answers. I have authored a few of them myself and let me start by emphasizing the long history of safe use for glyphosate both at home and in agriculture. Specifically to address your question about a “safe” limit, here is the short version: EPA has established an acceptable daily intake, or ADI, based on toxicity studies that look at a variety of toxic effects, such as immediate or acute toxicity, effects on reproductive processes, cancer-causing and other long-term effects, etc. [...]
GMO Basics Health & Safety