The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken emergency action to halt the use of a dangerous pesticide linked to serious health risks in unborn babies.
The pesticide, dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), also known as Dacthal, has been banned effective immediately due to the imminent hazard it poses to pregnant women and their developing fetuses.1
As the EPA takes a stand against this hazardous substance, the implications of this emergency order are set to ripple through the agricultural industry and beyond. The question remains: what led to this unprecedented action, and what does it mean for the future of pesticide regulation in America?
A Rare & Decisive Action
This marks the first time in nearly 40 years that the EPA has exercised its emergency suspension authority under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The decision comes after years of efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to require the submission of overdue safety data and assess the risks associated with DCPA.
The EPA had requested health impact data on the herbicide from AMVAC Chemical Corporation, the sole producer of DCPA, as early as 2013. However, the company failed to provide complete data on DCPA’s effects on thyroid development until August 2022, nearly six years past the deadline.
Protecting Unborn Babies
Exposure to DCPA during pregnancy, even unknowingly, can lead to changes in fetal thyroid hormone levels. These changes are associated with low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ, and reduced motor skills later in life – some of which may be irreversible.
EPA Assistant Administrator Michal Freedhoff emphasized the urgency of removing DCPA from the market to prevent these serious health consequences. The EPA’s evaluation found that levels of DCPA in a treated field can remain at unsafe levels for 25 days or more, and spray drift could put pregnant women in surrounding areas at risk.
Support from Farmworker Advocates
Farmworker organizations like Alianza Nacional de Campesinas have applauded the EPA’s historic decision. As an organization led by farmworker women, they understand the harm pesticides like DCPA can inflict on their health and communities. This emergency action is seen as a crucial step towards protecting reproductive health and ensuring the safety of farmworker families.
Mily Treviño Sauceda, the director of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, described the EPA’s decision as “historic” and hopes it will lead to further actions focused on listening to farmworkers and protecting their well-being.
Next Steps & Implications
The emergency order is effective immediately, and the EPA intends to issue a notice of intent to cancel DCPA products within the next 90 days. This decisive action strongly conveys the agency’s commitment to safeguarding public health and the environment from dangerous chemicals.
The ban on DCPA is expected to have significant implications for agricultural practices and may prompt a shift towards safer alternatives. DCPA has been prohibited in the European Union since 2009, and the U.S. has classified the pesticide as a possible carcinogen as early as 1995.
As the EPA continues its review of other pesticides, this emergency action sets a precedent for swift and decisive measures when serious risks are identified. Environmental and farm groups have celebrated the decision, though some noted that the agency’s ban comes years too late. The Environmental Working Group, a consumer watchdog organization, found DCPA on nearly 60% of kale samples tested by the Department of Agriculture, with the pesticide also present on many collard and mustard green samples.
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Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.