US suspends use of pesticide DCPA/Dacthal over links to foetal damage
The US government has issued an emergency ban on pesticides containing dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (also known as DCPA or Dacthal) over a connection to foetal damage.
In a statement dated August 6, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency said the Emergency Order for the suspension of the chemical is effective immediately.
“Today, Aug. 6, the US Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the emergency suspension of all registrations of the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).”
The US EPA said this is the first time in almost 40 years EPA has taken this type of emergency action, following “several years of unprecedented efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to require the submission of long-overdue data and then assess and address the risk this pesticide poses”.
“EPA has taken this action because unborn babies whose pregnant mothers are exposed to DCPA, sometimes without even knowing the exposure has occurred, could experience changes to fetal thyroid hormone levels, and these changes are generally linked to low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ, and impaired motor skills later in life, some of which may be irreversible.”
The EPA said the pesticide is commonly on crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions.
The US EPA said DCPA is currently undergoing registration review, a process that requires reevaluating registered pesticides every 15 years to ensure they cause no unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment.
“In May 2023, EPA released its assessment on the risks of occupational and residential exposure to products containing DCPA, following its analysis of the thyroid study submitted by AMVAC. The assessment found health risks associated with DCPA use and application, even when personal protective equipment and engineering controls are used.
“The most serious risks are to the unborn babies of pregnant individuals. EPA estimates that some pregnant individuals handling DCPA products could be subjected to exposures four to 20 times greater than what EPA has estimated is safe for unborn babies.”
The EPA said also of concern are risks to unborn babies of pregnant individuals entering or working in areas where DCPA has already been applied (especially post-application workers involved in tasks such as transplanting, weeding and harvesting).
“Current product labels specify that entry into treated fields must be restricted for 12 hours after application. However, the evidence indicates that for many crops and tasks, levels of DCPA in a treated field remain at unsafe levels for 25 days or more. Spray drift (the movement of pesticide through the air at the time of application or soon after, to any site other than the area intended) from pesticide application could also put at risk the unborn babies of pregnant individuals living near areas where DCPA is used.”
“EPA Administrator Regan has determined that, due to the serious and imminent harm posed by DCPA, an emergency exists such that this order of suspension effective immediately is necessary.”
The EPA said it intends to issue a notice of intent to cancel the DCPA products within the next 90 days.
