The EPA warning about the herbicide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, or DCPA or Dacthal, says its use presents significant health risks to pregnant individuals and their developing babies if exposed.
The agency says it issued a letter to DCPA’s manufacturer, AMVAC, noting the risks posed by exposure.
DCPA is an herbicide registered to control weeds in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings but is primarily used on crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions, according to EPA.
“DCPA exposure represents a serious risk to pregnant workers and their children, so it’s imperative that we warn people about those risks now,” Michael Freedhoff, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said in a statement. “We’re committed to taking action to protect the health of children, workers, and others who are exposed to DCPA.”
The EPA says DCPA is undergoing registration review and that it released its occupational and residential exposure assessment of the herbicide following a review of data. The review found concerning evidence of health risks associated with DCPA use and application, even when applicators use personal protective equipment and engineering controls, the EPA said, adding that the most serious risks extend to the developing babies of pregnant individuals.
The EPA estimates that some pregnant individuals handling DCPA products could be subjected to exposures from four to 20 times greater than estimated on the DCPA product label. The agency says it is concerned that pregnant women exposed to DCPA 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.
Also of concern, the EPA said, are risks to developing 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, according toe the agency.
EPA said its evidence indicates that, for many crops and tasks, levels of DCPA in the previously treated fields remained at unsafe levels for 25 days or more. Spray drift from pesticide application could also put developing babies at risk for pregnant individuals living near areas where DCPA is used.
EPA said AMVAC proposed several changes to the DCPA registrations, including the recent cancelation of all DCPA products registered for use on turf. The agency said the changes do not address the health risks for people who work with and around DCPA in agriculture.
