MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A former Minneapolis florist was forced to close her eight-year successful business in December 2024 after persistent, debilitating symptoms that numerous experts suspect stem from prolonged, daily exposure to pesticides saturating imported cut flowers. Sarah Chen, 30, developed chronic fatigue, headaches, and liver enzyme elevation, prompting her to join a growing international conversation attempting to expose the largely ignored occupational hazards faced by florists handling chemically preserved bouquets across the globe.
Chen’s sudden closure highlights a critical gap in occupational safety and consumer awareness: while food products are tightly regulated for chemical residues, the multi-billion-dollar global cut flower industry currently operates without maximum pesticide thresholds in key markets like the European Union and the United States, transferring significant health risks to the florists who handle these chemically-laden goods.
Lack of Regulation Creates Industry Blind Spot
The ornamental horticulture segment relies heavily on pesticides to ensure blemish-free flowers year-round, primarily sourced from major exporting nations such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Kenya, where oversight of chemical usage is often minimal. Although most consumers face negligible risk from brief contact, floristry professionals are exposed to these chemicals via skin absorption and inhalation for many hours each workday.
Studies suggest that this exposure carries significant consequences. A 2018 analysis of florists’ health, despite subjects wearing protective gloves, detected 70 different pesticides in their urine. Notably, the concentration of clofentezine, a suspected carcinogen and endocrine disruptor, exceeded acceptable safety thresholds by four times in this population.
Clinical toxicologist Professor Michael Eddleston of the University of Edinburgh noted that unlike other chemically intensive industries, the lack of monitoring in floristry reduces incentives for suppliers to change long-standing practices.
Tragic Links Between Exposure and Illness
The consequences of this unregulated environment have drawn the attention of researchers and resulted in tragic legal recognition in France. In a landmark 2022 decision, France’s Pesticide Victims Compensation Fund formally recognized a connection between a child’s fatal cancer and the mother’s occupational pesticide exposure while working as a florist during her pregnancy.
“If someone had warned me, my daughter would still be here,” the mother, Sophie Dubois, told French media at the time.
This case catalyzed further investigation by researchers Jean-Noël Jouzel and Giovanni Prete, who have documented disturbing similarities in the experiences of mothers working in floristry whose children subsequently developed serious conditions, including cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders, indicating a plausible, though complex, link to parental pesticide handling.
Florists Remain Unaware of Hidden Dangers
Despite the accumulating evidence, many florists remain largely unaware of the risks inherent in their work. James Mitchell, a veteran florist in West London, stated the topic of chemical exposure has never been discussed in his two decades in the industry.
Chen’s experience began years into her career, developing flu-like symptoms and persistent nausea that baffled doctors until a naturopathic physician suggested pesticide exposure as the cause of her elevated liver enzymes. Chen, who often worked barehanded, now understands the severity of the danger she faced.
“To find out that I feel this bad because of my job is horrible and stressful,” Chen reflected.
Experts suggest that the cessation of Chen’s symptoms upon leaving the business strongly indicates a direct occupational link. However, establishing definitive causation can be difficult, as Nick Mole from the Pesticide Action Network noted, making it challenging for individual florists to link current health issues to past exposure.
Industry Needs Urgent Action
The floristry community overwhelmingly agrees there is a significant education and awareness deficit regarding chemical risks. As Angela Oliver, CEO of the British Florist Association (BFA), pointed out, no mandatory occupational hazard guidelines for florists are publicly available.
While some courses touch upon the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), industry learning often happens on the job, where critical safety information is frequently missed. Many florists, like Gloucestershire’s Rachel Webb, only enacted changes, such as consistently wearing gloves, after learning about the French tragedy through news reports.
To mitigate immediate risks, experts and former florists advise professionals to always use protective equipment, ensure adequate ventilation, and seek out local, chemical-free flower sources where possible. French authorities have responded to the public outcry by launching a multi-year study that is expected to lead to regulatory proposals, potentially establishing maximum pesticide residue limits for flowers.
For now, the burden of caution often falls solely on the frontline worker. Jessica Martinez, founder of Petal & Stem Studio, laments the difficulty in determining her exposure level, stating, “It’s just impossible to find that research.”
Addressing this pervasive transparency problem requires urgent collaboration between exporters, wholesalers, regulatory bodies, and industry associations to monitor chemical usage and ensure that the floristry profession can be practiced safely.