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IN THE NEWS
California Finds Lawn Chemicals Dangerous to Health
December 21, 2005
Concerned that certain widely used lawn chemicals can cause birth
defects, the state of California is taking steps to require that
consumers are informed about these risks. On November 18th
California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
announced its intention to list the herbicide 2,4-D and related
compounds as developmental toxicants under California's Safe
Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, more commonly
known as Proposition 65.
"People assume that if a product is on the shelves of their local
store, it's safe," noted Dr. Susan Kegley, Senior Scientist at the
Pesticide Action Network. "But 2,4-D is far from safe. When this
herbicide is finally listed under Prop 65, the public will be
notified that chemicals they are using on their lawn can affect
women's ability to bear healthy children."
Currently, 2,4-D is widely used in neighborhoods. Forms of the
chemical are found in approximately 660 agricultural and home use
products in the United States. One popular use of 2,4-D is as a weed
killer mixed with fertilizer for lawns, sold under brand names such
as Trimec Weed and Feed. Because companies mix herbicide and
fertilizer in the same product, homeowners who simply want to
fertilize their lawns often end up applying large doses of the
herbicide as well. Approximately 46 million pounds of 2,4-D are used
in the U.S. each year. Studies from the Centers for Disease Control
indicate that fully one quarter of the U.S. population carries 2,4-D
in their bodies, and children between the ages of six and eleven
have significantly higher exposure rates compared to older children
and adults.
The announcement represents important progress for state officials
and public health advocates concerned about 2,4-D. OEHHA based its
findings on the U.S. EPA's final Re-registration Eligibility
Decision (RED) document, released in January 2005. EPA's analysis
indicates that rats exposed to 2,4-D in utero showed an increased
incidence of skeletal abnormalities such as extra ribs and malformed
ribcages. In rabbits, 2,4-D and its diethanolamine salt caused
abortions and skeletal abnormalities. The RED also indicated
concerns about developmental neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption
as possible toxicological outcomes for 2,4-D and related chemicals.
EPA is requiring registrants to submit studies to assess the extent
of these types of toxicity as a condition of re-registration.
EPA risk assessments indicate that home lawn care products account
for 96% of the risk associated with using this chemical for the most
sensitive sub-population (women of childbearing age), and that
anticipated doses are very close to the level of concern. Exposures
to 2,4-D can also come from other sources, including food residues
and drinking water. EPA did not evaluate inhalation as an
intermediate-term exposure source because no inhalation studies were
submitted by the registrants, but noted this as a data gap that
registrants must fill as a condition of re-registation. EPA also did
not assess cumulative risk from exposures to multiple compounds
similar to 2,4-D, which suggests that exposures might exceed EPA's
level of concern with present use patterns if these additional
exposures were taken into account.
Exposure to 2,4-D in drinking water is also coming under increasing
scrutiny. U.S. EPA currently uses a limit of 70 parts per billion
(ppb) as the level of concern, but the Minnesota Department of
Health is proposing a draft guideline of six ppb for 2,4-D, based on
EPA's own risk assessment. 2,4-D is capable of leaching into ground
water, is sometimes used as an aquatic herbicide, and is used near
waterways that may be drinking water sources.
The active ingredient 2,4-D and its derivatives were first marketed
in 1944. These compounds have been off-patent for many years and are
currently manufactured by many different companies around the world,
including Dow Chemical, Agrolinz, Atanor, AH Marks (UK), Nufarm
(Australia), Polikemia, Rhone-Poulenc, Sanachem, Sinochem (China)
and Ufa, together with four other producers, in Turkey. The global
market is estimated to be over US$300 million.
The 2,4-D family of chemicals are chlorophenoxy acids or esters, and
are often used in mixtures with other chlorophenoxy compounds such
as MCPA, MCPP, 2,4-DP and dicamba. These products are used as
broadleaf herbicides in both terrestrial and aquatic applications,
as well as plant growth regulators in citrus crops. Lawns,
pastureland, wheat, corn and other cereal crops, as well as soy,
sugarcane and forest land comprise the primary uses of 2,4-D.
Approximately thirty million pounds (66%) are used by agriculture
and sixteen million pounds (34%) in non-agricultural applications.
Agricultural use in the U.S. is predominantly in the Midwest, Great
Plains, and the Northwestern U.S.
OEHHA initiated the listing process for 2,4-D through the
Authoritative Bodies mechanism, in which the state of California
uses documentation produced by another agency with expertise and
authority in assessing toxicity. On December 15, 2005, the agency
extended the comment period to February 2, 2006 for submission of
comments on the proposed listing. Instructions for submitting
comments can be found at the OEHHA web page <
http://ga4.org/ct/k71CIpK1Fzbw/> announcing the Notice of Intent to
List.
Sources:
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), California
Environmental Protection Agency. 2005. "Notice of Intent to List
Chemicals:
(2,4-dichlorphenoxy) acetic acid, 2,4-D n-butyl ester, 2,4-D
isopropyl ester, 2,4-D isooctyl ester, Propylene gylcol butyl ether
ester (of 2,4-D), 2,4-D butoxyethanol ester, 2,4-D dimethylamine
salt". Released 11/18/05. [http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/CRNR_notices/admin_listing/intent_to_list/NO
ILPkg5e.html <http://ga4.org/ct/kd1CIpK1Fzb2/> ]
Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch, Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental
Protection Agency. 2005. "Chemicals Meeting The Criteria For Listing
Via The Authoritative Bodies
Mechanism: (2,4- Dichlorophenoxy) Acetic Acid (2,4-D), 2,4-D N-Butyl
Ester, 2,4-D Isopropyl Ester, 2,4-D Isooctyl Ester, 2,4-D Propylene
Glycol Butyl Ether Ester (2,4-D Pgbe), 2,4-D Butoxyethanol Ester And
2,4-D Dimethylamine Salt". [http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/CRNR_notices/admin_listing/intent_to_list/ex
tendpkg5d.html<http://ga4.org/ct/k71CIpK1Fzbw/> ]
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2005. "Reregistration
Eligibility Decision for 2,4-D. Office of Prevention, Pesticides and
Toxic Substances". [http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/24d_red.pdf <
http://ga4.org/ct/k11CIpK1FzbN/> ]
Pesticide Action Network United Kingdom. 1997. "2,4-D Fact Sheet".
[http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/24d.htm <
http://ga4.org/ct/kp1CIpK1Fzbs/> ]
Minnesota Department of Health. Draft Health Risk Limits for
Groundwater, [http://156.98.150.11/divs/eh/groundwater/hrlgw/draftsonar.pdf
< http://ga4.org/ct/ip1CIpK1FzbM/> ]
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