The Farmer Service Program:
The Agricultural Experiment Station
276 Altheimer Drive,
Fayetteville, AR 72704
Telephone: (501) 575-3955 Fax: 575-3975
Cooperative Extension Service
P.O. Box 391,
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone: (501) 671-2000 Fax:671-2251
University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture and USDA Cooperating
ARKANSAS PESTICIDE NEWS EDITORS
Terry Lavy and Briggs Skulman, Department of Agronomy, Fayetteville and Ples
Spradley, Coop. Extension Service,
Little Rock
Web Page: http://cavern.uark.edu/depts/napiap/newsletter/newslet.html
March, 1997
Table of Contents
Arkansas News....................................................... 1
Planting Time Suggestions...................................... 1
National News....................................................... 2
More on the FQPA............................................... 2
Acceptable Risk Rears Ugly Head In Food Quality
Protection Act................................................. 4
Methyl Bromide Reevaluated..................................... 5
EPA Takes Action Against the Pesticide that Forced
Relocations in MS.............................................. 5
Health and Safety Notes............................................. 6
Children and Pesticide Safety.................................. 6
Registration and Usage News................................. ........7
Things Haven't Been the Same Since We Lost Chlordane............7
Pesticide Registrations and Actions............................ 8
Dursban Uses Eliminated........................................ 9
Biotech / IPM / Advanced Technology News........................... 10
General Information................................................ 11
Cockroach Study Finds Widespread Resistance to Dursban,
Pyrethroids................................................... 11
Disease Grows Into Worldwide Problem.......... ................11
Forum Participants Learn About Major Pesticide Issues:........ 12
Did You Know?.......................................................13
The Birth of a Pesticide.......................................13
Caution: Dihydrogen Oxide In Use!..............................13
Now They Know How We Feel......................................13
ARKANSAS NEWS
PLANTING TIME SUGGESTIONS
The Farmer Service Program:
As the planting
time approaches, we alert you to some services provided by the Altheimer
Pesticide Residue Laboratory. For the past 12 years
a farmer service program has been in place for those
using crop rotations who have a concern about the
residual levels of herbicide(s) which may still be
present in their fields from the previous year's
herbicide application. For those who do not have
access to their County Agricultural Extension
Service information about our program we should
indicate that each soil sample should contain
approximately 1/2 pound.
Upon receiving your soil, we provide you with
an acknowledgment and an indication of the
predicted turn around time (ordinarily 2-3 weeks).
After receiving the dry soil sample, we analyze it
using gas chromatography and provide you with a
printout of the analyses on a ppm basis. In addition,
we provide you with our recommendation as to the
likelihood of any detrimental effects due to any
residual herbicide level which may be present. As
an example, if cotton had been grown last year and
the test shows that residual levels remain, we may
suggest that a second year of cotton be grown, etc.
Our recommendations will be based on findings
from your sample, our past experience and our
earlier studies which correlate the current chemical
levels with past crop performance grown under
similar levels. We should point out that herbicide
carryover is found more commonly in springs
following very hot, dry summers.
Farmer costs associated with these services are
$50 per sample per chemical (with the exception of
Scepter samples which cost $75 with a $150
minimum). For proper comparisons, each sample
should be accompanied by an untreated check
sample (no charge for check samples). Residual
herbicides may vary widely depending on the
sampling location within the field. These prices
listed are for the partially subsidized Arkansas soil
samples; analytical costs for out of state samples are
found by multiplying by two.
The following provides you with a list of the
herbicides for which we are prepared to make the
analysis and recommendation: Atrazine, Command,
Cotoran, Dual, Facet, Karmex, Prowl, Scepter,
Treflan, 2,4-D and Zorial.
In addition to this soil testing service, we also
provide water testing for a large range of pesticides.
Please call us at 501-575-7569 for further
information about our water testing service.
Applicator and Worker Safety:
As the planting season nears we are sure that
Arkansas farmers are busy getting their equipment
checked out, supplies ordered and generally
preparing for the coming season. We hope that a
check up on safety related equipment is also part of
everyone's checklist. Make sure those equipment
shields are in place, emergency equipment like fire
extinguishers are fully charged, first aid kits stocked
and that your personal protective equipment for
chemical applications is fully functional and in good
repair.
Good questions to ask are: How long has it
been since the cartridges on respirators been
changed? (Would you drive your truck or tractor
with clogged or poorly functioning air filters? Why
should our lungs not receive the same concern, eh?).
How about protective clothing? Does it really
protect you, or should you consider better materials?
Has your usual protective clothing been throughly
washed or cleaned? Or would disposable protective
materials be a better option? (Remember most
chemical exposure comes from contact and
absorption through the skin!) In particular what
about those rubber gloves and boots? Are they
starting to become worn or cracked? Time to replace
them!
Decreasing human and environmental exposure
to pesticides is a worthy goal. By closely following
label instructions and worker safety guidelines, we
believe that pesticides can be used safely. However,
be sure to read about the methyl-parathion
problem(s) that occurred in Mississippi, Louisiana
and Alabama in the articles following in this
newsletter. People were seriously affected both
physically and monetarily because individuals used
the materials illegally. As a consequence, changes
are being made that will affect available
formulations, chemical tracking records and
enforcement. How these incidents will affect EPA
re-registration of methyl-parathion remains to be
seen. The new Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)
addresses new steps being taken in the area of
pesticide use on food to insure that higher risk
groups, such as infants and children, are adequately
protected. Now is the time to provide input through
your particular farmer or commodity group.
Have a safe and productive start on the coming
planting season.
NATIONAL NEWS
MORE ON THE FQPA
The Food Quality
Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), the most sweeping revision of pesticide
regulation since the 1970's, sailed through the U.S.
Congress and became law this summer without a
single vote of opposition. The FQPA amends the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA) by providing a comprehensive and
protective regulatory scheme for pesticides. The
Act WILL have impact on pest control programs,
nutrition, and food safety.
A great deal of uncertainty currently exists on
the interpretation of FQPA. Opportunities exist for
EPA, the legal system, and other interested parties
to reach a variety of conclusions. EPA has
established the Food Safety Advisory Committee to
assist in providing input from stakeholders in
developing policies relating to implementation of
FQPA. Close oversight to insure congressional
intent is expected.
MAJOR ISSUES OF THE FQPA:
Within two years, EPA must develop a
winning program to gather information about the
potential for pesticides and other substances to
affect the endocrine system. This screening
program must be implemented in three years and a
report submitted to Congress in four years. Since
the consequences of 
chemical
exposure on the endocrine system are generally not well understood,
this will be a very challenging task with the potential
to cause substantial regulatory problems.
The Act establishes a single health-based
standard for raw and processed foods. The new
standard is a "reasonable certainty of no harm from
aggregate exposure." EPA will apply a 100-fold
safety factor to the no observed effect level (NOEL)
data extrapolated from animal studies for threshold
effects. (A threshold effect is an effect for which
EPA can identify a level at which a pesticide will not
cause harm).
Aggregate exposure includes dietary
(including water), inhalation, dermal, and non food
use routes of exposure, such as residential, lawn and
garden uses to a pesticide. EPA may consider
exposure to actual residues expected on foods,
which are often far lower than tolerances, and the
percent of the crop treated with the pesticide.
EPA must also consider cumulative exposure
to pesticides that have a common mechanism of
action. It may be necessary to adjust (lower) many
current tolerances to accommodate the consideration
of aggregate and cumulative exposure. Some
tolerances, i.e., uses, may be lost.
EPA must consider in its risk assessment for
infants and children information: 1) that infants and
children are likely to consume a disproportionately
high percentage of foods containing the pesticide; 2)
concerning any special susceptibility of infants and
children to the pesticide; and, 3) concerning the
cumulative effects of the pesticide and of other
substances that have a common mechanism of
toxicity with the pesticide. An additional safety
factor of up to 10-fold "shall be applied" for infants
and children "to take into account potential pre- and
post-natal toxicity and completeness of the data"
with respect to infants and children.
The new law allows tolerances to remain in
effect that would not otherwise meet the safety
standard, based on the benefits afforded by the
pesticide; however, specific limits are placed on the
benefits considerations. The Agency may consider
benefits only for non-threshold effects of pesticides
(e.g., carcinogenic effects). Benefits include either
a "health/health" benefit (i.e., use of the pesticide
prevents a health risk that is greater than a risk
presented by the pesticide), or a benefit to the food
supply (the use of the pesticide is necessary to avoid
a significant disruption in domestic production of a
safe, economical, and wholesome food supply).
Modified tolerances based on benefit considerations
are subject to several limitations on risk and more
frequent assessment than other tolerances. The
benefits standard is health-based, not economics-based. All tolerances have to be consistent with the
special provisions for infants and children, and
benefits cannot be used to override the health-based
standard for children. The law sets yearly and
lifetime risk levels for all tolerances for pesticides
approved via benefits.
The new law requires EPA to review ALL
tolerances on the following schedule:
- 33 percent of all tolerances must be reviewed
within three years (completed by August 1999),
- 66 percent within six years (completed by August
2002),
- 100 percent within ten years.
Priority will be given to pesticides that may pose the
greatest risk to public health. This means work in
fiscal 1997 will be on B2 (probable human)
carcinogens, acutely toxic pesticides, and possibly
methyl bromide. In fiscal 1998, EPA will focus on
organophosphates. Carbamates are scheduled for
1999. For fiscal 2000 through 2002, EPA will work
on the remaining chemicals eligible for
Reregistration Eligibility Decisions. After 2002,
when reregistration of older pesticides is completed,
the reassessment of tolerances will be done along
with renewal of registrations under FQPA. This
task is considerable, as there are more than 9,000
tolerances currently in place. In addition to
requiring tolerance reassessments, FQPA requires
EPA to establish a system for periodic review of all
pesticide registrations, aimed at updating them on a
15-year cycle.
Historically, EPA has worked on 300
tolerances per year. That number will increase four-fold to 1,200 tolerances per year due to the
requirements of the new law.
Because the FQPA could accelerate the loss of
pesticides for minor uses, the law contains language
aimed at countering this. Registrants are given
incentives to register and maintain minor use
registrations. Economics, however, will still play a
large role in registrants' decision processes. The Act
contains language that requires the USDA Secretary
of Agriculture to ensure support for minor use
pesticides by:
1) coordinating IR-4 and the national pesticide
resistance monitoring program; 2) supporting IPM
research; 3) consulting with growers to develop data
for minor uses; and, 4) providing assistance for
minor use registrations, tolerances, and
reregistrations with the EPA with respect to the
USDA's responsibilities related to minor use
pesticides. FQPA also requires the Secretary to
establish a minor use grant program and authorizes
an annual appropriation of
$10 million for this program.
By August 1998, EPA must publish
pamphlets containing consumer-friendly infomation
on the risks and benefits of pesticides for which
EPA has established tolerances based on benefits
considerations. The pamphlet must include
recommendations for reducing exposure to pesticide
residues. This information will be distributed
annually to large retail grocers for public display. In
addition, tolerance petitions must include
informative summaries that can be published and
made publicly available.
EPA must develop criteria for reduced risk
pesticides, including biopesticides, and expedite
review of applications that meet the criteria of a
reduced risk pesticide. Before enacting this law, the
average time for registering reduced risk chemicals
was 14 months, compared with an average review
time of 38 months for nonreduced risk new
chemicals.
EPA considers international standards for
maximum residue levels (MRLS) established by the
Codex Alimentarius Commission as a part of its
reregistration tolerance reassessments for chemicals
first registered before November 1994. The Act has
no presumption in favor of accepting international
MRLS. The new law requires the Agency to publish
a notice whenever they propose a tolerance that
differs from an established Codex MRL. This
requirement furthers the goal of international
harmonization of pesticide residue limits, to the
extent that international MRLs meet U.S. food
safety standards.
FQPA preempts states from establishing
tolerances that differ from EPA tolerances first
established or reassessed after April 25, 1985.
States may petition EPA for exemptions to this
provision if there are compelling local conditions
that justify the exemption.
The FQPA provides an additional
authorization of $12 million for increased FDA
monitoring in Fiscal Years 1997-1999. It also
establishes substantial civil penalties for introducing
foods with violative pesticide residues into interstate
commerce. Penalties do NOT apply to growers.
The FQPA amends the definition of a
pesticide under FIFRA to exclude liquid chemical
sterilants, which are to be regulated by the FDA. It
also reforms the antimicrobial registration process,
with the goal of achieving significantly shorter EPA
review times.
A category of "Maintenance Applicators"
and "Service Technicians," is created to include
janitors, sanitation personnel, general maintenance
personnel, and grounds maintenance personnel who
use or supervise the use of structural or lawn pest
control agents (other than restricted use pesticides).
States are authorized to establish minimum training
requirements for such individuals.
THE DELANEY CLAUSE VS. FQPA:
It has been widely reported that the Delaney
Clause, one of the most well known provisions of
U.S. food safety laws, has been either repealed or
replaced by the FQPA. Extremely simplified, the
new legislation deals with the Delaney Clause in this
manner: it excludes pesticides from the definition of
"food additive." With this
redefinition, the regulation of pesticide residues on
processed foods was removed from Section 409 of the FFDCA, and
the Delaney Clause, and slipped into Section 408 of
the FFDCA, which also regulates pesticide residues
on raw foods. The Section 408 standard for
pesticide tolerance setting was also changed.
It is EPA's goal to establish a commonsense
process that makes it easy to deliver food safety and
protection that the law requires. The new law sets
in motion a comprehensive collection of policy
decisions and other changes with the goal of
strengthening the nation's food safety system for
regulating pesticides in food.
EPA FYI; August 1996; Chemical Regulation
Reporter; Nov. 15, & Oct. 25, 1996; Nutrition
Week; Vol. XXVI, No. 39; Pesticide and Toxic
Chemical News; Oct. 9 & 30, 1996;
Food Chemical News; Oct. 21, 1996
Acceptable Risk Rears Ugly
Head
in Food Quality Protection Act
The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996,
which overhauls the nation's pesticide
regulations, has been touted by the
Clinton administration as a major
environmental victory and decried by
grassroots activists as flawed legislation.
The law is the outcome of a bipartisan
compromise. The result is a mixed bag
that embodies a forward-thinking
approach in several arenas, but repeals
the protective Delaney Clause that
prohibited cancer-causing pesticide
residues in processed food. Following
are some of the key provisions of the new
law.
Repealing the Delaney Clause: The
law replaces the zero-tolerance Delaney
Clause with a risk-based standard that
applies to both raw and processed foods.
The new "reasonable certainty of no
harm" standard is historically translated
as an additional lifetime risk of one in a
million- Of major concern is the
exemption clause that allows the risk to
be doubled when the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) determines that
a lower tolerance level will cause
"significant disruption to domestic
production of an adequate, wholesome,
and economical food supply." The new
standard lacks the certainty of Delaney,
which espoused a precautionary
approach of allowing no cancercausing
substances in our processed food.
However, it could provide more protection
in several ways. Most importantly, it sets
tolerances for both raw and processed
foods and considers toxic effects beyond
cancer. EPA must also consider multiple
exposures to a single pesticide, as well
as available information on exposure to a
range of chemicals with the same type of
toxicity.
Protection of infants and
children: For the first time, EPA is
required to make special consideration of
the health-of infants and children. It must
consider available information on both
extra exposure to particular foods and
special vulnerability. In addition, the
margin of safety can be increased for
residues that may harm children either
before or after birth.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals:
EPA is now empowered to require testing
on endocrine effects of pesticides for use
in setting tolerance levels. This provision
is already under attack. Members of the
Senate are attempting to block funding for
EPA regulatory activity on endocrine
disrupting pesticides, pending the
completion of a National Academy of
Sciences study.
Integrated Pest Management
(IPM): IPM is defined under the new law
as "a sustainable approach to managing
pests by combining biological, cultural,
physical and chemical tools in a way that
minimizes economic, health and
environmental risks." Strikingly, the law
also mandates federal agencies to use
and promote IPM. Although this definition
doesn't require a reduction in pesticide
use, the mandate may force federal
agencies to reassess their pest control
practices.
Consumer right to know: This
law's version of right-to-know is the
annual publication and distribution by the
EPA of a pamphlet describing the risks
and benefits of pesticides. Information
must also be posted in grocery stores
selling food treated with pesticides for
which exemptions were granted. Of
course, EPA will be subject to intense
pressure from industry as it develops
these informabonal pamphlets.
Preemption of local regulation: States
are now 
prohibited from
setting residue tolerance levels that are stricter than
national standards. "California is noted
for having tougher pesticide standards
than the federal level," said Jeanne
Merrill, a field organizer with San-Fransisco-based Pesticide Watch. "Now
Congress is stripping our state's and
other's ability to further protect public
health by preempting state law."
When all is said, this legislation misses
the point of replacing toxic pesticides with
safe alternatives. As Jay Feldman,
director of the National Coalition Against
the Misuse of Pesticides, said, "While the
compromise tightens previous bills by
creating additional hurdles, these are
more detours on the road to further food
contamination." We will be sure that our
food is safe, when we move to safe and
sustainable practices for producing food.
From the Washington Toxics Coalition
newsletter Alternatives.
METHYL BROMIDE
PERSISTENCE REEVALUATED
A new study now is suggesting that methyl bromide may survive in the atmosphere for less time than previously thought, and therefore poses less of a threat to the ozone layer. The study, published in the October 26, 1995 issue of Nature, adds to evidence that certain soil bacteria destroy atmospheric methyl bromide at a faster rate than once believed reducing its estimated atmospheric lifetime to a little more than nine months. This is about two-thirds as long as current estimates.
These new findings in the report reduce methyl bromide's ozone depletion potential by roughly 30 percent. The rate of depletion is still high enough to bring it within the scope of regulation by the Montreal Protocol and the Clean Air Act. The destruction of methyl bromide by soil organisms alters some calculations of its global atmospheric abundance. Previously, global estimates of the emission and absorption of methyl bromide were consistent with measured atmospheric concentrations, but the additional absorption by soil upsets that balance. However, researchers emphasize that the new data are preliminary and were extrapolated from results obtained by using soil samples to calculate global averages of how much methyl bromide the soil absorbs.
The researchers lab- and field-tested different types of soil from the U.S., Costa Rica, and Canada. All the surface soils consumed the chemical within minutes, forest soils in the temperate zone acted most rapidly. By applying antibiotics and fungicides to the soil samples, the researchers concluded that bacteria, not fungi or chemical processes, consumed methyl bromide.
Other researchers, tracking the
depletion rates of large quantities of methyl
bromide applied to fields, found that soil
breaks the chemical down slowly. The new
research demonstrates that breakdown under
these conditions is slower because the
fumigant kills the bacteria that would normally
consume it. This study evaluated lower
concentrations of methyl bromide, much closer
to typical atmospheric values.
Nature; October 26, 1995
EPA
TAKES ACTIONS AGAINST
THE PESTICIDE THAT FORCED
RELOCATIONS IN MISSISSIPPI
In order to stop the illegal and dangerous indoor use of the pesticide methyl parathion, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has acted to ensure the recall of certain formulations of the chemical, has stepped up its inspections to identify any further misuse, and is preparing a nationwide enforcement strategy to prevent similar incidents from occurring. The illegal spraying of hundreds of homes by applicators in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama recently resulted in the temporary relocation of over 1100 persons in Jackson County, Miss. and some in Louisiana and Alabama.
The only legal uses of methyl parathion are for agricultural crops under restricted conditions. If used indoors, the pesticide can cause nausea, vomiting, headaches and diarrhea. High exposures can lead to convulsions, cardiac arrest and death. To date, EPA and the State of Mississippi have taken emergency action to relocate approximately 1120 residents from 278 households in Jackson County. Eight day care centers, one restaurant and two hotels illegally sprayed with the pesticide have been closed. Extensive cleanup operations are underway.
"With this agreement, we can ensure protection for the American people against the severe dangers posed by the illegal use of this pesticide," said Carol M. Browner, EPA Administrator. "EPA and Mississippi have already taken major action to clean up the contamination in Jackson County. The agreement to recall this pesticide by the manufacturer is commendable."
Under the agreement reached with Cheminova Agro of Denmark, the sole U.S.
manufacturer of methyl parathion and principal registrant, the Company will recall
from distributors, retailers and users throughout the nation all unopened containers
of the emulsifiable concentrate form of this pesticide. Before the recalled
products can be resold, an odor agent must be added to make any indoor use extremely
disagreeable. This will help consumers ascertain whether the pesticide has been
illegally sprayed in their home. Tamper-resistant and bar-coded containers also
will be required to prevent unapproved use and to allow tracking of all containers
down to the user level. Finally, Cheminova has agreed to undertake a major
education program, including public service announcements, to inform distributors,
retailers, growers and consumers on proper uses of the pesticide. Mixtures and
micro-encapsulated formulations of methyl parathion are not included in this recall
agreement.
EPA has drafted a nationwide enforcement strategy for working with state
agencies to detect illegal use of agricultural pesticides, including methyl
parathion, in urban and residential settings.
The recall of methyl parathion emulsifiable concentrate product has
already begun in several areas of the United States and is expected to be completed
by the end of February, 1997. Within the next month, EPA is expected to issue new
registrations to Cheminova and other registrants who formulate emulsifiable methyl
parathion concentrate products in the United States. The new registrations will
conform with all elements of the agreement. All existing registrations will be
canceled, making the sale of the products manufactured before the agreement illegal.
The new products are expected to be available for the coming growing season.
In 1994, similar contamination of homes and businesses with methyl
parathion was discovered in Lorain County, Ohio. Through the Superfund program, EPA
relocated 859 people and decontaminated 232 homes to habitable conditions at a
response cost of more than $20 million. In 1995, a number of residences in Detroit,
Mich. also were sprayed illegally with methyl parathion at a cost of $2 million for
clean-up and temporary relocation of 20 people.
Approximately 95 percent of an estimated 4.5 million pounds of methyl
parathion used annually in the United States is applied to cotton, soybeans, field
corn, peaches, wheat, barley and rice. Much of the use is in Alabama, Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Texas. Trade names include Nitrox, Dithon 63,
Ketokil 52, Seis-Tres 6-3, Metaspray 5E and Paraspray 6-3.
EPA is continuing to review methyl parathion as part of its ongoing
reregistration program for older pesticides, and may impose additional risk
reduction measures in the future, if warranted. At this time, EPA does not believe
approved uses of the pesticide pose unreasonable risks because it degrades and
dissipates when properly applied outdoors to agricultural crops. There are no legal
indoor uses of methyl parathion, and it may only be legally purchased and used by or
under the supervision of especially trained and certified applicators.
EPA Press
Release Jan 15, 1997
HEALTH AND SAFETY NOTES
CHILDREN AND PESTICIDE SAFETY
Pesticides can be beneficial
to society. Pesticides also can be dangerous if used carelessly or if they are not
stored properly and out of the reach of children. A survey done by EPA regarding
pesticides used in and around the home revealed some significant findings:
*Almost half (47 percent) of ALL households with children under the age of
five had at least one pesticide stored in an unlocked cabinet less than four feet
off the ground (i.e., within the reach of children;
*Approximatety 75 percent of households, without children under the age of
five also stored pesticides in an unlocked cabinet, less than four feet off the
ground. This is significant because 13 percent of all pesticide poisoning incidents
occur in homes other than the child's home, for example when a child is visiting
with grandparents, other relatives, or friends.
Bathrooms and kitchens were cited as the areas in the home most likely to
have improperly stored pesticides. Examples of common household pesticides found in
bathrooms and kitchens include bleach, kitchen and bath disinfectants, flea and tick
shampoos for pets, roach sprays, and insect and wasp sprays. Other household
pesticides include swimming pool chemicals and weed killers.
Under FIFRA, EPA has required that residential-use pesticides with a signal
word of "danger" or "warning" have to be in child-resistant
packaging.
Child-resistant packaging is designed to prevent most children under the age of five
from gaining access to the pesticide, or at least delay their access. Individuals
must also take precautions to protect children from accidental pesticide poisonings
or exposures.
The following are some recommendations for preventing accidental poisoning:
*Always store pesticides away from children's reach, in a locked cabinet or
shed. Child-proof safety latches may also be installed on cabinets.
*Read the label first and follow the directions to the letter, including
all precautions and
restrictions.
*Before applying pesticides, remove children and their toys as well as pets from the area to
be treated and keep them away until the pesticide has dried or as long as is recommended by
the label.
*If your use of a pesticide is interrupted (phone call, etc.), properly re-close the package and
be sure to leave the container out of the reach of children while you are gone.
*Never transfer pesticides to other holding containers.
*Never place rodent or insect baits where children can get to them.
*Use child-resistent packaging properly by closing the container tightly
after use.
*Alert others to the potential hazard of pesticides, especially caregivers
and grandparents.
*Teach children that pesticides are something they should not touch.
*Keep the telephone number of your area Poison Control Center near your
telephone.
If a pesticide-related emergency occurs, try to determine what the person
was exposed to and what part of the body was affected before you take action, since
taking the right action is as important as taking immediate action. If the person
is unconscious, having trouble breathing, or having convulsions, give needed first
aid immediately. Call 911 or your local emergency service. If the person does not
have these symptoms, contact your local Poison Control Center, physician, or call
911 or your local emergency service and follow their directions. HAVE THE PRODUCT
CONTAINER WITH YOU WHEN YOU CALL FOR ASSISTANCE.
The following are some general first aid guidelines related to accidental
poisoning:
* Swallowed Poison: Induce vomiting ONLY if directed to do
so. It will depend on what the person has swallowed. Some products are caustic and
will cause more damage if the person is made to vomit.
* Poison in Eye:
Eye membranes absorb pesticides faster than any other external part of the body.
Eye damage can occur in a few minutes with some types of pesticides. If poison
splashes into an eye, hold the eyelid open and wash quickly and gently with clean
running water from the tap or a gentle stream from a hose for at least 15 minutes.
If possible, have someone else contact emergency services for you while the victim
is being treated. Do NOT use eye drops or chemicals or drugs in the wash water.
* Poison on Skin: If pesticide splashes on the skin, drench the area with
water and remove contaminated clothing. Wash skin and hair thoroughly with soap and
water.
* Inhaled Poison: Carry or drag the victim to fresh air
immediately. If you think you need protection such as a respirator and one is not
available to you, call the Fire Department and wait for emergency equipment before
entering the area so as to not endanger yourself. Loosen victim's tight clothing.
If the victim's skin is blue or the victim has stopped breathing, give artificial
respiration and call rescue service for help. Open doors and windows so no one else
will be poisoned by the fumes.
Additional pesticide product information can be obtained by calling the
Pesticide Information Office or the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network
(NPTN).
EPA Technical Release 7506C; February 1996
*An article appearing in "Health and Environmental Digest" looks
at the
question of whether children of agricultural families face higher pesticide
exposure. Soil and dust samples from near and inside homes of 59 families (26
farming, 22 farm worker, and 11 nonfarming) were analyzed for four insecticides
[azinphos-methyl (Guthion), phosmet (Imidan), chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), and ethyl
parathion (Parathion)] commonly used in the local farming community of Wenatchee,
Washington. A total of 62% of the dust samples from the agricultural households
showed detectable levels of the four chemicals. This compares with only one
nonfarming household showing detectable residues. It was hypothesized that
pesticides were tracked into the farm homes on the work clothing and shoes of the
family members. Since pesticides tracked into a home are not exposed to rain, sun,
and wind, they remain active much longer. Thus, infants and children playing on the
floor may be exposed to these residues. The author went on to say that
"children
did not appear to be at elevated risk to adverse health effects because of the low
level of exposure."
Chemically Speaking, October 1996
Registration and Usage News
THINGS JUST HAVEN'T BEEN THE SAME SINCE WE LOST CHLORDANE
In
spite of its problems, chlordane was a very effective termiticide. I read of a
study one time in which a wooden stake treated with chlordane was protected from
termites for more than 25 years. However, extreme persistence was also viewed as
one of chlordane's faults, and it was ultimately removed from the market. Since
that time, termite companies have relied on chlorpyrifos and other pesticides to
protect homes from termites. Compared with chlordane, the other available products
are not nearly as effective, and the termite control industry has suffered.
Study the guarantee that comes with your termite control program. Very few
companies will offer to repair your home in the event of termite damage that occurs
after treatment. Many companies will come and treat your home every year.
The EPA has become concerned about terrniticides and termite control programs for
several reasons. Annual treatments may not be necessary, and they may expose you
and the environment to unnecessary risks. Pesticide applications to control
termites must be made near people; there is an increased risk of exposure. Not all
companies provide a high level of training for their technicians. If the applicator
does not know exactly what he/she is doing, your home may not be protected, and/or
your family may be exposed to pesticides. These new regulations are intended to
provide better protection for your home and your family.
New Termiticide
Regulations Come Into Effect on October 1, 1997:
1) Data will be required to
show that soil treatments for termite control will be effective for a least five
years. USDA data show that most currently registered materials are effective for
3-5 years. The EPA feels that consumers should not be subject to the expense and
risk of repeated termiticide applications. The EPA is unlikely to grant
teriniticide registrations for products that are not effective for five years unless
they are less toxic and provide greater benefits than registered products.
2)
Pre-construction rates of application must not be less than the minimum labeled
rate, although it is generally allowed by federal regulations. States have reported
that reduced rates of termiticides have not provided adequate protection from
termite damage. Applications that are made after construction may be lower than
labeled rates unless prohibited by state regulations.
3) Commercially applied
termiticide applications can only be made by firms/individuals that are licensed by
the state to apply termiticide products.
4) Specific regulations for personal
protective equipment are indicated, based on the toxicity of the product.
5) All
termiticides with directions for subterranean use are required to include
precautions concerning possible pesticide leakage into the structure.
6)
Statements concerning envirorunental hazards are required to match the use patterns
prescribed for the product.
7) Annual retreatment is prohibited unless there is
clear evidence that reinfestation or barrier disruption has occurred. Some
companies have been selling an annual retreatment service even if customer may not
need one. The company gets additional revenue. The customer gets additional risk
but no additional protection.
8) The mixing directions are required to be very
clear and simple. Calibration can be tricky for anyone; this regulation will ensure
that the proper amount of pesticide can be prepared by almost anyone.
9)
Regulations regarding proper pre- and post-construction termiticide applications are
specifically stated, including treatment of accessible and inaccessible crawl
spaces.
10) Termiticide labeling must provide specific direction for the
treatment of wall voids and the use of foam treatments.
11) Labeling must
include specific protections for wells and cisterns.
12) All treatment holes in
commonly occupied areas must be plugged with an impervious, non-cellulose
material.
13) Labels are no longer required to instructions to cover all treated
soil with untreated soil. This precaution was required because of concerns over
exposure to chlordane and/or heptachlor.
14) For pre-construction applications,
the applicator must notify contractors, construction workers, etc. who may be
exposed to the termiticide.
15) In areas where Formosan termites occur,
applicators should be instructed in how to control them. The appropriate control
measures are quite different from the procedures to control subterranean
termites.
16) Special label precautions are required for products that may be
used to treat plenums.
17) Proposed labels should be submitted to EPA and the
Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials for review.
Georgia
Pest Management Newsletter; November 1996
PESTICIDE REGISTRATIONS
AND ACTIONS
*EPA has
issued a notice of receipt of requests from registrants to
cancel certain pesticide registrations voluntarily. Users of this product who
desire continued use should contact the applicable registrant before December 31,
1996, to discuss withdrawal of the applications for cancellation. Highlights from
the registrations with pending request for cancellation include:
Dibrom 8 Emulsive (naled), SLN FL890008, to control leafminers on
lettuce; Valent U.S.A.
Federal Register; October 2, 1996
*Similarly, EPA has issued a notice of receipt of a request to amend
certain pesticide registrations under Section 6(1)(f) of FIFRA. Registrants of
these materials have requested that these uses be deleted from the label. Unless
the request is withdrawn, the Agency will approve these deletions and the deletions
will become effective on December 24,1996. Highlights from the list of
registrations with amendments are as follows:
D.Z.N. Diazinon 50W, DELETING citrus, pecans, celery, cotton, peanuts,
tobacco, Bermudagrass, pasture grass and grass forage, rangeland, alfalfa, clover,
sorghum, field corn, almonds and walnuts, caneberries, figs, filberts, olives, dried
beans and peas, watercress, trefoil, cowpeas, and lespedeza from the label.
D.Z.N. Diazinon AG500, DELETING citrus, pecans, celery, cotton, peanuts,
tobacco, Bermudagrass, pasture grass and grass forage, rangeland, alfalfa, clover,
sorghum, field corn, almonds and walnuts, caneberries, figs, filberts, olives, dried
beans and peas, watercress, trefoil, cowpeas, lespedeza, and guar from the
label.
D.Z.N. Diazinon 14G, DELETING tobacco, lawns, alfalfa, clover, sorghum,
field corn, dried beans and peas, cowpeas, and lespedeza from the label.
D.Z.N. Diazinon MG-87%, DELETING citrus, cotton, tobacco, Bermudagrass,
lawns, grass forage, alfalfa, clover, sorghum, field corn, almonds, asparagus,
caneberries, figs, filberts, dried beans and peas, trefoil, cowpeas, lespedeza, and
guar from the label.
D.Z.N. Diazinon Lawn & Garden Insect Control, DELETING celery, pecans,
grapefruit, lemons, oranges, apples, pears, caneberries, figs, and filberts from the
label.
Federal Register; September 25, 1996
*EPA withdrew the proposed
and final rules revoking of a number of pesticide tolerances and processed food
tolerances established under the FFDCA. The enactment of the Food Quality
Protection Act removed the legal basis for these revocations. For a listing of the
proposed revocations on Section 408 tolerances, revocations that were based on the
Delaney clause, and revocations that were based on Not Ready-To-Eat grounds, contact
the Pesticide Information Office.
* Spinach, amaranth, arugula,
chrysanthemum, cress, dandelion, corn salad, dock, endive, orach, parsley, purslane,
radicchio, and chervil have been added to the Admire 2F (imidacloprid)
label.
Archer is the name of an insect growth regulator with 6-7 months of
effectiveness being introduced by Zeneca for cockroach and flea
control.
Recruit AG (hexaflumuron) is a material being developed by DowElanco to
eliminate subterranean termite colonies in structures.
A new pyrethroid product from Bayer, transfluthrin, is being developed
for use against flying insects and cockroaches in households and for
public safety.
Agricultural Chemical News; October, 1996
*Will EPA reduce the 12-hour restricted entry interval (REI) for
insecticidal soaps (containing the active ingredient potassium salts of fatty acids,
such as M-Pede) to four hours? The answer is NO. This may surprise many, but
remember, the REI is related to human exposure, not environmental safety.
Insecticidal soaps are relatively "soft" pesticides in terms of the environment.
REIs are based on toxicity category ratings with Category 1 being the most toxic and
Category 4 the least toxic. Toxicity categories are determined by five measured
exposures:
- Oral Acute Toxicity (LD50);
- Inhalation Acute Toxicity
(LC50);
- Dermal Acute Toxicity (LD50);
- Eye Effects (corrosive, corneal
opacity, eye
irritation); and,
- Skin Effects (corrosive, degrees of irritation).
Dursban Uses Eliminated
EPA and the registrant of Dursban (chlorpyrifos), DowElanco, have agreed on
a 10-point plan that withdraws certain uses of Dursban from the market. The
agreement does NOT eliminate all indoor uses of Dursban. DowElanco has conceded,
however, to:
1. Withdraw Dursban from the indoor broadcast flea control
market;
2. Withdraw Dursban from the indoor total release fogger market;
3.
Withdraw Dursban from the paint additive market;
4. Withdraw Dursban from the
direct application pet care market (shampoos, dips, sprays);
5. Take a number
of steps to increase protection for high volume household uses (e.g. crack and
crevice uses) to include: market products to consumers in ready-to-use (rather than
concentrated) form; prohibit use in inappropriate areas (e.g. drapes, furniture,
toys); Pest Control Operators (PCO) must clean spills and misapplications;
applicaors must be properly trained and supervised; and, put regulations in place to
protect families and pets during and immediately after applications.
6. Revise
Dursban labels to include appropriate re-treatment intervals, to prevent the buildup
of levels of Dursban in the home;
7. Make label changes as soon as possible for
safer termiticide and pet care products according to the recently EPA issued notices
on termiticide and pet care product labeling;
8. Accelerate education and
trainng for PCO's on these measures to reduce risk and exposure, and on the label
changes for termiticide and pet care products announced in the recent EPA notices on
termiticide and pet care product labeling;
9. Undertake epidemiological
research and establish a panel to provide scientific directon for study and design
for Dursban; and,
10. Continue the Poison Control Center Stewardship Project
for Dursban to monitor incident reporting related to Dursban. This includes
follow-up on the identity of products and the circumstances responsible for
exposure.
EPA's additional internal review of Dursban said that Dursban is one of the
leading causes of acute insecticidal poisonings in the U.S., and noted that the
chemical is the fourth most common insecticide found in U.S. homes. Their review
particularly focused on use restrictions, labeling, and training to control mishaps
involving Dursban used by homeowners and PCO's. The Agency noted that most of the
more serious poisonings appear to involve misuse or inappropriate use by PCO's.
Research conducted last year at the University of Miami measured the
occurrences of organophosphate pesticide metabolites in the general U.S. population.
At the the time of the survey, the researchers found a high frequency of the
presence of these metabolic substance in the popuation, including an 82 percent
presence for chlorpyrifos (Dursban/Lorsban).
EPA Correspondence to DowElanco;
Jan. 23, 1997
Pesticide and Toxic Dhemical News Special Report; January 1997
Pesticide and Toxic Chemical News; Nov. 8, 1995
Biotech/IPM/Advanced Technology News
*On October 7, 1996,
spokespersons representing more than 300 consumer,
health, trade and agricultural organizations from 48 countries announced the launch
of a world wide boycott of genetically engineered soy and corn produced in the U.S.
Monsanto's glyphosate-tolerant soybeans and Ciba-Geigy's Bt corn will be
commercially harvested this season for the first time. Organizations participating
in the campaign will urge consumers to boycott targeted products containing soy and
corn including Green Giant Harvest Burgers, Nestle Crunch, Similac Infant Formula,
McDonald's french fries, Kraft Salad Dressings, Fleischmann's Margarine, Fritos,
Karo Corn Syrup, Quaker Oats Corn Meal and Coca Cola. Organizers of the boycott
cite increasing scientific concern over environmental and health risks associated
with genetically engineered soybeans and corn.
Although the European Union voted earlier this year to allow importation of
genetically engineered soybeans, about 1/3 of the EU is now reporting that they will
not accept 'Roundup Ready' soybeans, citing health and environmental
concerns. Europe represents about 40% of the U.S. soybean market.
In a related story, Greenpeace prevented the harvest of Roundup Ready
soybeans in Iowa. They painted a huge 'X' on the field and marked it
'Biohazard'.
Critics maintain that the gene in the soybeans could be transferred to weeds and
that the soybean (tolerant to the herbicide Roundup) encourages the increasing use
of pesticides.
The Georgia Pest Managment Newsletter October, 1996
*EPA has registered six new biological pesticides in the first quarter
of FY
1997, which ended Dec. 31, 1996. The new pesticides are aimed at controlling a wide
variety of pests including cockroaches, plant diseases, borers, nematodes, aphids
and other insects. These registrations reflect growing trends toward greater
reliance on biological pesticides than conventional pesticides because they are
often more specific to the target pests and pose little or no risk to other living
organisms. They also pose valuable tools for integrated pest management practices.
The following is a brief description of each of the six new products:
Woodstream Corp. of Lititz, Pa. was granted registration for a pheromone
(trade name German Cockroach Pheromone) to control German cockroaches. It is used
in boric acid bait stations as a cockroach attractant. Boric acid on the body of
the cockroach causes dehydration and death. It is approved for indoor non-food
areas of homes, restaurants, health care facilities, educational institutions,
factories, garages, transportation and recreational vehicles, zoos, kennels,
utilities and sewers.
Agridyne Technologies of Columbia, Md. was granted registration for
dihydroazadirachtin (trade name DAZA) a hydrogenated form of the naturally occurring
azadirachtin obtained from the seeds of the neem tree, native to India and Burma.
It will be approved for use indoors against numerous insects such as ants, aphids,
beetle, caterpillars, crickets, sawflies, whiteflies, centipedes, nematodes and
sowbugs. Outdoors it will be approved for use on bedding plants, flowers, potted
plants, foliage plants, plants grown hydroponically, ornamentals, trees, shrubs,
turfgrass, fiber crops, forage and fodder crops.
Stine Microbial Products of Adel, Iowa was granted registration for
Burkholderia cepacia isolate (trade name Blue Circle) as a fungicide for controlling
damping-off disease on plant roots and seedling roots of vegetables, fruits, nuts,
vine crops, spices, ornamentals, greenhouse crops, turfgrasses, flowers, bulbs and
field crops. It may be applied through the irrigation system, drenching roots of
seedlings or incorporating into seedbeds at planting.
Monsanto Co. of St. Louis, Mo. was granted final registration for Bacillus
thuringiensis CryIA(b) Delta-Endotoxin and the Genetic Material Necessary for Its
Production in Corn (trade name YieldGard), a plant-pesticide for controlling or
suppressing the European corn borer, the Southwestern corn borer and the corn
earworm. EPA has limited annual use to 100,000 acres in Southern states. In
addition, the acreage may not exceed five percent of the corn planted in any county
with more than 1,000 acres of cotton. These limitations were imposed to mitigate
the risk of developing resistance to Bt CryIA by the corn earworm, a pest of corn,
cotton, and other Southern crops.
Ciba-Geigy Corp. of Greensboro, N.C. was granted registration for Bacillus
thuringiensis kurstaki strain M-200 (trade name Able) for controlling lepidoperous
(caterpillar) pests in tree fruits, terrestrial small fruits and vegetables, tree
nuts, alfalfa, corn, cotton, soybeans, peanuts, herbs and spices and cranberries.
It may be applied aerially or by ground equipment.
Ecogen Inc. of Longhorne, Pa. was granted registration for Bacillus
thuringiensis kurstaki strain EG7826 (trade name Lepinox) for controlling
lepidopterous (caterpillar) pests of numerous terrestrial food crops, ornamental
plants, turf, nursery stock, shade trees and forests. It may be applied aerially or
by ground equipment.
PR EPA
*Norway retailers and wholesalers will refuse to sell soybean products from
the U.S. unless products from genetically engineered soybeans are clearly
identified. Switzerland passed a law requiring similar labeling last year. A
survey indicates that Germans may not want genetically engineered foods. Australia,
Japan, and the U.S. have approved genetically engineered corn and soybeans,
concluding they pose no environmental or health threat.
The Georgia Pest
Management Newsletter; November 1996 (Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News 10-23-96)
General News and Information
Cockroach Study Finds Widespread Resistance to Dursban,
Pyrethroids
Research results published by 
Virginia Polytechnic Institute show that
several commonly used insecticides may no longer be effective against some
populations of German cockroaches. According to the report, German cockroaches
used in this study were rapidly becoming resistant to insecticides such as
Dursban (chlorpyrifos) and several pyrethroids. Acephate (Orthene) remained
effective.
Researchers tested 36 strains of German cockroaches with various
insecticides. "More than 20 of the 36 strains were highly resistant to
chlorpyrifos. These findings are consistent with those usually seen with
chlorpyrifos, but it was disconcerting to see so many strains with high-level
resistance."
The figures reported in the study for German cockroach resistance to the
pyrethrins were:
40.4 percent of tested strains were resistant to allethrin;
22 percent of tested strains were resistant to fenvalerate;
21 percent of tested strains were resistant to cyfluthrin; and,
35.4
percent of tested strains were resistant to cypermethrin.
The researchers found acephate to be "one of the few insecticides in this
program to which the German cockroach remains largely susceptible." Only four
of 138 strains tested were resistant to acephate.
Also tested was the philosophy of rotating pesticides to defeat increases
in resistance. Results from this test were "disappointing." Rotation
"should be used as a preventive measure before resistance has developed to a
significant level, if it is to be used at all." Once resistance has
developed, it was too late for rotation of different pesticides to make a
difference.
Pesticide and Toxic Chemical News; August 14, 1996
Disease Grows into Worldwide Problem
Ergot, once limited to Asia and Africa, has now become a serious global
disease threat to sorghum (_Sorghum bicolor_ [L.] Moench) with recent widespread
epidemics in Brazil and Australia and appearances in several other Latin
American nations. It continues to be a plague in numerous African and Asian
countries, report the authors of "Ergot--A Global Threat to Sorghum," in the
INTERNATIONAL SORGHUM AND MILLETS NEWSLETTER (ISMN).
A team of international scientists led by R. Bandyopadhyay present an
extensive and detailed profile of a disease that can spread rapidly and has the
ability to severely reduce grain yield. The authors recount that the 1995
epidemic in Brazil covered 800,000 square km. in a week, and, during a 3-week
period in 1996, 60,000 square km in Australia.
Ergot can be caused by either of two fungal pathogens. The disease can
be spread by conidia that are wind-borne, carried by splashed raindrops, or
moved by insects, as well as by clothing, footwear, and farm implements.
Multiple cycles of infection can occur in the same growing season under certain
conditions.
Several options can be integrated in an ergot control program including
sowing ergot-free seed, enforcing strict quarantine measures, adjusting sowing
dates to take advantage of conditions that do not favor disease development, and
removing other plants and litter to reduce sources of infection. A full color
supplement of the original article contains clear close-up photos showing the
disease's impact on sorghum.
FMI:Sorghum Improvement Conference of North America,POBox 530, Abernathy, TX
79311, USA. --excerpted from: ISMN, 37, 1996.
EPA has made available an updated listing of products with a 4-hour
Restricted Entry Interval. The new list references 122 products that qualify
for the 4-hour REI. Contact the Pesticide Information Office for a copy of the
list.
EPA Communication; Nov. 20, 1996
Under a draft action plan for DDT, Mexico would reduce its use of the
chemical by 80 percent in the next five years and ban its use within ten
years.
Chemical Regulation Reporter; Oct. 25, 1996
The pesticides responsible for the most injuries in California during
1993 were sodium hypochlorite (bleach), chlorine, and combinations of
antimicrobials. These products were believed to be responsible for 25 percent
of all reported injuries. The next highest cause of pesticide-related injuries
in the state was chlorpyrifos. This chemical accounted for approximately 6
percent of injuries.
Targeting Pesticide Safety; Fall 1996
Forum Participants Learn
About Major Pesticide Issues
The FQPA was one of several pesticide related topics addressed at an
all-day Pacific Northwest Pesticide Issues forum held October 17 at the Pasco
Red Lion. Some 125 forum participants learned about the act, endocrine
disruptors, cholinesterase testing and genetically modified plants.
The
FQPA:
Alan Schreiber, Agrichemical and Environmental Specialist with the WSU Food
and Environmental Quality Laboratory (FEQL), said the act is 'the most important
pesticide issue in the last 10 to 15 years', but not even the EPA understands
its provisions completely or knows for certain how they will be implemented.
Schreiber said the act is a laundry list of virtually everything everyone
ever wanted on pesticides. While it eliminates the Delaney Clause, which
established a zero tolerance for cancer-causing residues in processed foods, the
act contains provisions he claims are worse than what the act removed.
Among provisions Schreiber listed were the addition of a 10-fold greater
safety factor in determining tolerances, required tolerances for Section 18
emergency exemptions, and a requirement for EPA to look not only at a
pesticide's potential to cause cancer but also its potential to disrupt hormonal
function and cause other negative health effects.
Increasing the safety factor in setting tolerances, Schreiber said, will
eliminate many registered pesticides and block new registrations. He said seven
registrations of interest to the Pacific Northwest have been blocked already and
that the new tolerance requirement has placed many Section 18 requests on
hold.
Ted Maxwell, Registration Manager for the WSDA Pesticide Management
Division, echoed Schreiber's concerns regarding the act. Regarding Section 18s,
Maxwell said, the agency is waiting to see how the EPA establishes tolerances.
'We don't know whether to be concerned or scared to death.'
Endocrine disruptors:
Also waiting to be seen is how the EPA intends to interpret the FQPA
provision requiring examination of pesticides for their effects on the endocrine
system, the bodily system responsible for hormone production. Recently
published books and magazine articles claim man-made chemicals and pesticides
are disrupting normal hormonal function and leading to lower sperm counts and
reduced fertility among human males.
Allan Felsot, Environmental Toxicologist at FEQL, discounted as minimal the
impact of man-made chemicals and pesticides on hormonal function. He took data
used to indicate reduced sperm counts in human males and showed statistical
analyses of these same data that demonstrate sperm counts are not declining but
are stable or even increasing. Felsot also cited research demonstrating no
correlation between fertility and sperm count.
Cholinesterase testing:
Although not mandatory in Washington, cholinesterase testing for farmworkers
helps reduce liability, increases safety awareness, exposes problems with
chemical handling and use of personal protective equipment, and eases the minds
of both workers and employers, according to Phil Hull, Labor Management
Specialist for the Washington Growers League. Hull said the league favors
testing but wants to see better testing, alternative testing methods and better
education for clinics in interpreting results.
According to Dr. Sheldon Wagner, Professor of Clinical Toxicology at Oregon
State University, testing for low cholinesterase levels is the primary way to
diagnose organophosphate pesticide poisoning. Cholinesterase is a naturally
occurring enzyme associated with nerve function.
Wagner said many variables exist in cholinesterase testing that can make
interpretation of results difficult. Errors may occur in the laboratory, or the
tested person may be among the three in every 1,000 individuals who naturally
display abnormal levels of cholinesterase in their blood plasma. Other testing
variables may occur from congenital problems, liver disease, hepatitis and
cancer. Very young and very old individuals often don't display normal
variations. Pregnancy, birth control pills and several drugs, including
nicotine and cocaine, may also affect results.
Wagner said he prefers having at least two preexposure baselines, and he
recommends conducting tests of both red blood cells and plasma for
cholinesterase levels. Also, because not every poisoning will result in
immediate physical illness, he recommends preseason and postseason tests to
reveal any long-term exposure and problems with chemical handling or use of
protective equipment.
Genetically modified plant protectants:
Advances in biotechnology, according to Schreiber in a presentation on
genetically modified crops, could help reduce the need to apply chemical
pesticides, including many organophosphate, carbamate and pyrethroid
insecticides. Biotechnology, he said, promises to be the foundation of the next
green revolution.
Schreiber said that Flav-r Sav-r tomatoes, soybeans and canola resistant to
Roundup herbicide, and cotton and potatoes genetically protected with Bt against
insects are already commercially available. He said to expect future
genetically engineered crops such as potatoes resistant to Colorado potato
beetle and potato leafroll viruscorn, sugarbeets and rapeseed resistant to
Roundup; and disease-resistant wheat.
Agrichemical and Environmental News,
1996
Did You Know?
The Birth of a Pesticide
I recenty visited the
headquarters of a large chemical company and
learned about its registrabon process. This company screens 20,000 to 35,000
chemicals and 50,000 fermentation products each year for herbicide, insecticide
and fungicidal effects. In the first screening, each chemical or product is
tested for efficacy on eight insects, six diseases and four weeds pre and post
emergence. If a compound shows efficacy against at least one organism, it will
undergo secondary screening. Registration for an herbicide will be pursued only
if it demonstrates excellent efficacy against one or more weeds that pose major
problems in one of four crops: rice, corn, soybeans or small grains. (The
world-wide market for soybean herbicides is $2 billion annually; for dce, it is
$600 million.).
The discovery process for a chemical lasts one to two years. The next
stage is predevelopment. Each year the company tries to move two chemicals to
predevelopment, where the chemicals are subjected to a series of tests to
determine their suitability for registrabon. This process lasts three years,
meaning that there are about six compounds in predevelopment at any one time.
The next stage is development which lasts three years. The company tries to
have three compounds in this stage. From the development stage, the company
tries to launch (introduce onto the market) at least one product a year.
Caution: Dihydrogen Oxide In Use!
Recently, a Washington
lobbyist felt that many well-meaning people are
misled by media hype surrounding environmental crises. He sent out a letter to
a mailing list of people who have contributed to actions to ban pesticides. His
letter called attention to the threat of "dihydrogen oxide" contending
that "our lakes, rivers, and oceans are known to contain vast quantities of
dihydrogen oxide." Additionally, burns, falls, and 4,100 deaths were
attributed to dihydrogen oxide. A number of people responded angrily. "For
the sake of others' lives, please stop the production of dihydrogen oxide. Why
[are you] poisoning the planet? How in God's name can you live with
yourselves?"
By the way, another name for "dihydrogen oxide"
is: water.
(Ed.- Now I have heard that some drinkers feel this
way about water in their bourbon!)
Georgia Pest Management Newsletter;
Oct. 1996
NOW THEY KNOW HOW WE FEEL
Environmentalists are upset because they feel that a NBC news report did
not present the 'whole story' of pesticide risks and benefits. The news
broadcast did not present pesticides as a health plague, and the Environmental
Working Group claims that the report was 'riddled with factual and interpretive
errors'. I remember clearly that similar statements were made by agriculture
after the 'Alar broadcast'. I hope the result will be that both
agriculture and
environmentalists realize that there are TWO sides to the pesticide issue. Both
sides must be presented if intelligent decisions are to be made.
The Georgia
Pest Management Newsletter October, 1996
According to Environmental Sci. & Technology (11-96), people regularly
transfer pesticides from the lawn to the carpet on their shoes and/or clothes.
The residues may remain in the carpet and other furnishings for long periods
because they are protected from degradation by the weather. Entryway mats
reduced the amount of pesticide transferred to carpets by 25-33%. These
findings are of concern because of the potential exposure of small children.
There was no evidence of adverse health effects caused by these residues, but we
should all be very careful when we apply pesticides around our homes.
The
Georgia Pest Management Newsletter; November 1996
Monsanto is ready to allow licensing of the biotechnology for glyphosate
resistance to minor use crops. The company is developing Roundup-ready corn,
cofton, soybeans,cofton and other crops grown on large acreage, but has so far
been unwilling to invest resources into developing the techniques for crops
grown on limited acreages. Affected commodity groups must fund the cost of
development and use only Monsanto's brand of glyphosate.
Agrichemical and
Environmental News, October 1996
IR-4 is planning to conduct the first IR-4 project on a genetically
engineered food crop, sweet corn. The Project is planning to begin field
residue trials in 1997 for sweet corn engineered to be resistant to glufosinate
(Liberty), AgrEvo's broad spectrum herbicide.There is an effort to develop
glufosinate-resistant dry pea, chickpea, lentil and green pea as well.
Agrichemical and Environmental News, October 1996
Larry Etworth, USDA Special Assistant for Pesticide Policy, is leaving
his position in October to establish a center for assisting commodity groups in
the transition to more sustainable pest control and production practicesThis
effort, funded by the Pew Chadtable Trust, will be based in Gettysburg, Pa.
Agrichemical and Environmental News, October 1996
A California farmer has
ageed to pay $30,000 for failing to provide
documents showing his apples were grown on an organic farm as he represented in
their sale. He said that the apples he produced are pesticide-free, but the
agriculture commissioner in California says that is impossible to prove without
records. The fine focuses on the lack of paperwork to register the farm as
organic.
AP; Sept 12, 1996
Some California farmers have stopped providing wildlife habitat for fear
they will face Endangered Species Act restrictions on the use of their land. The
California Farm Bureau says that habitat has been provided gratis for years, but
habitat is now a liability. As one example, officials claimed land they wanted
for a flood control project was "worth next to nothing" because it
contained springlike pools and endangered species.
AP; October 22, 1996
Lawmakers in Texas have
proposed a biological and chemical offensive to
eradicate fire ants in the state. The effort could cost $16 million over the
next six years, and would also target killer bees, fruit flies, boll weevils,
and a dozen other pests. Critics say such efforts are futile and often cause
more problems than they solve. The critics also complain about a dependence on
chemicals for eradication.
AP; Sept 22,1996
A high-ranking U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) official
in Washington, D.C. failed to read carefully the label of an insecticide marked
for "homeowner" use, and wound up causing some major inconveniences. The
INS official brought an insecticide that was used to treat outdoor pests at home
to their work place. The insecticide in question clearly states on the label
that it is "for outdoor use." However, the INS official used it on indoor
plants in their office. When the indoor plants were sprayed, the insecticide
seeped into the building's air conditioning system, resulting in the evacuation
of 1,900 employees. The entire building then had to be ventilated. The moral
of the story is ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL.
Gempler's Alert; September
1996
In most pesticide handling situations, the skin is the part of the body
that is most likely to receive exposure. Studies show that about 97 percent of
all body exposure that occurs during pesticide spraying is by contact with the
skin.
Chemically Speaking, October 1996
Do you know what the
current world population is? Do you know what the
world population was in 1950? Answers: there are 5.5 billion people in the
world today, compared with 2.7 billion in 1950. The world population has
doubled during the last 45 years.
Comparatively, do you know how much cropland is currently farmed
worldwide? Do you know how much cropland was farmed in 1950? Answer: 5.8
million square miles of land for BOTH questions. Through higher use of hybrids,
commercial fertilizers, pesticides and sprayers, we can feed twice as many
people currently (and at a higher level of nutrition) with the same amount of
cropland as was farmed 45 years ago.
Economic Issues in Agriculture, Univ.
of Georgia; August 1996
The EPA has redesigned its World Wide Web site to better serve the
informational needs of the public. Their new Homepage includes selections for
concerned citizens, students and teachers, kids, business and industry,
researchers and scientists, state and local governments, and also a collection
of resources about EPA, regulations, publications, and other topics.
The
enhanced version of the EPA Homepage is available at:
http://www.epa.gov
The Agency is also making the "Federal Register" available on the WWW
at:
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr
In other WWW news, Florida's Medical Entomology Laboratory's newsletter
"Buzz Words" is now available in the Internet at:
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~veroweb/
Look in the file buzz/current for the
current issue of the newsletter.
Buzzwords; November 1996
All pesticides used by the City of San Francisco in outdoor parks, golf
courses, and public housing will be phased out by the year 2000. Additionally,
the city is required by ordinance to reduce the use of pesticides by 50 percent
of present levels by January 1, 1998. Legislation also requires the city
to:
1) use IPM techniques in order to make the transition from pesticides
smoother;
2) require four-day public notification of pesticide applications
before and after spraying;
3) improve recordkeeping of pesticide use by city
departments; and,
4) allow the use of certain exemptions, such as pesticides
used to control weeds in airport runways, to protect human health.
Chemical
Regulation Reporter; Oct. 18, 1996
Dennis Avery from the Hudson Institute says that organic farming is a
bigger danger to wildlife than pesticides because organic farmers need twice as
much land to produce food since their yields are half as high as conventional
growing methods.
Bridge Column; October 1996
Here is another example of why it is so important to completely read and
understand pesticide labels. Two men in Mississippi face up to 48 years in
prison and/or a fine of up to $4.8 million after administering unlicensed
commercial applications of restricted use pesticides. Federal charges against
the men include multiple counts of illegal pesticide applications and illegal
distribution of a restricted use pesticide. (Also see the related article in
this newsletter)
EPA Press Release; Nov. 29,1996
Building Plans and Management Practices for a Permanently-Sited
Agricultural Pesticide Mixing/Loading Facility in Florida is the title of a new
publication written by Tom Dean, Pesticide Education Specialist, and Ray
Bucklin, Farm Structures Specialist at the University of Florida. Besides
building plan drawings, the 38-page booklet provides details on topics such as
plumbing, electrical service, work area devices, and management practices for
employee training, maintenance, mixing and loading, special hazard areas,
emergency response, and pesticide spills. The initial printing of this
publication was supported by a grant from the Florida Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services. Single copies of the publication may be obtained at no
cost while supplies last.
Address your request to the Pesticide Information
Office, University of Florida, Box 110710, Gainesville, FL 32611-0710.
Rye grass growing in a certain area of Australia has been confirmed to be
resistant to normal applications of Roundup (glyphosate). While there are
certain plants that are resistant to Roundup, such as morning glories and
soybeans or cotton genetically developed with a Roundup resistant gene, this is
apparently the first case where an existing species has developed resistance to
the world's most popular weed killer.
Farm Show; #6, 1996, via the Natural
and Environmental Resources Report; December 1996
Monsanto says 80 percent of U.S. farmers they surveyed were satisfied or
very satisfied with their genetically engineered cotton that fights several
major insect pests, less than 10 percent were dissatisfied and the rest were
neutral. Farmers using Monsanto's Bollgard technolgy reported average yield
improvements of 7 percent compared with the best cotton varieties in their
areas. Yield improvements ranged from 6 percent to 16 percent over sections of
ththe Cotton Belt. Additionally, Monsanto said it would price its new Roundup
Ready cotton at $5 to $8 per acre. The company said a limited supply of cotton
varieties containing the Bollgard genes and Roundup Ready genes will also be
available at $40 per acre.
Some government regulators, scientists, and biotech critics, however, fear
that unrestricted use of bioengineered crops, such as these, will cause pests to
develop resistance to the plants' built-in defenses.
St. Louis
Post-Dispatch; Oct. 7, 1996 and Jan. 8, 1997, and Reuter; Jan. 8, 1997
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