EPA orders emergency ban over common pesticide

Aug 7

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor/Producer)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency ban of a popular weed killer over risks to unborn babies. This marks the first time in 40 years the EPA has issued an emergency ban like this.

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The order will remove the pesticide commonly known as DCPA, or dacthal, from the market. DCPA is used to control weeds in crops like strawberries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and onions.

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It can affect fetal thyroid levels, leading to low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ and impaired motor skills later in life.

“DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately,” Michal Freedhoff, the EPA’s assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said.

The agency’s risk assessment found handling DCPA products while pregnant could expose fetuses to between four and 20 times the chemical level considered safe. The EPA also said environments where the pesticide has already been applied may be just as risky, especially for agricultural workers weeding or harvesting in areas where it’s used.

And while product labels advise restricted entry into fields for 12 hours after DCPA is used, the EPA said there is evidence levels may still be unsafe for nearly a month.

The European Union banned DCPA use on crops in 2009.

Tags: chemicals, Emergency, Environmental Protection Agency, European Union, Pregnancy, toxic chemicals

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS ISSUED AND EMERGENCY BAN OF A POPULAR WEED KILLER – OVER RISKS TO UNBORN BABIES.

THIS MARKS THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS THE E-P-A HAS ISSUED AN EMERGENCY BAN LIKE THIS.

THE ORDER WILL REMOVE THE PESTICIDE COMMONLY KNOWN AS D-C-P-A OR DACTHAL FROM THE MARKET.

D-C-P-A IS USED TO CONTROL WEEDS IN CROPS LIKE STRAWBERRIES, BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CABBAGE, AND ONIONS.

IT CAN AFFECT FETAL THYROID LEVELS – LEADING TO LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, IMPAIRED BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, DECREASED I-Q, AND IMPAIRED MOTOR SKILLS LATER IN LIFE.

IN A NEWS RELEASE – ONE E-P-A OFFICIALS SAID QUOTE…

“D-C-P-A IS SO DANGEROUS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE MARKET *IMMEDIATELY*.”

THE AGENCY’S RISK ASSESSMENT FOUND HANDLING D-C-P-A PRODUCTS WHILE PREGNANT COULD EXPOSE FETUSES TO BETWEEN FOUR AND 20 TIMES THE CHEMICAL LEVEL CONSIDERED SAFE.

THE E-P-A ALSO SAYS ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THE PESTICIDE HAS ALREADY BEEN APPLIED MAY BE JUST AS RISKY – ESPECIALLY FOR AGRICULTURAL WORKERS WEEDING OR HARVESTING IN AREAS WHERE IT’S USED.

AND WHILE PRODUCT LABELS ADVISE RESTRICTED ENTRY INTO FIELDS FOR 12 HOURS AFTER D-C-P-A IS USED – THE E-P-A SAYS THERE’S EVIDENCE LEVELS MAY STILL BE UNSAFE FOR NEARLY A MONTH.

DCPA HAS BEEN BANNED FROM USE ON CROPS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION SINCE 2009.