For the first time in nearly 40 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has invoked its emergency authority to ban the sale of a pesticide linked to harm in unborn babies.
EPA
The pesticide in question, DCPA (Dacthal), has been found to potentially cause serious, irreversible damage to fetuses, including impaired brain development and low birth weight. The EPA’s decision comes after difficulties in obtaining crucial health data from the pesticide’s manufacturer and a conclusion that continued sales posed an unacceptable risk, according to an announcement made Tuesday.
“Pregnant women could unknowingly expose their unborn babies to this pesticide, resulting in lifelong health issues,” said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
DCPA is primarily used on crops such as broccoli and cabbage, with an average usage of about 84,000 pounds annually in 2018 and 2020. However, a 2023 EPA risk assessment revealed that the pesticide remains hazardous even with personal protective equipment. The manufacturer had advised a 12-hour waiting period before re-entering treated fields, but EPA officials found that dangerous levels of the pesticide could persist for more than 25 days.
AMVAC Chemical Corp., the pesticide’s manufacturer, did not respond to requests for comment late Wednesday. Earlier this year, the company proposed new safety protocols, including extended waiting periods and limits on handling the pesticide. However, federal officials deemed these measures insufficient. The emergency order was deemed necessary because the standard review process would take too long and continue to put people at risk.
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