Atrazine, the most common weed killer on the nation’s farms, and a common tap water contaminant, is more toxic than previously believed.

... even single day exposure to atrazine has the potential to cause a range of reproductive effects and developmental defects

Click Here to Add Comment

 

Subject:    PESTICIDES NEWS
Date:       Tue, 04 Jul 2000 17:15:17 -0400
From:        Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Lyndon Hawkins <hawkins@empm.cdpr.ca.gov>
          Senior Research Scientist
          State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation - Integrated Pest Management

Dear Lyndon, I thought you might like to read an article I found from AmeriScan: June 30, 2000 entitled:  EPA CALLS ATRAZINE "LIKELY" CARCINOGEN.

WASHINGTON, DC, June 30, 2000 (ENS) - Atrazine, the most common weed killer on the nation’s farms, and a common tap water contaminant, is more toxic than previously believed. In its first in-depth look at the potential for atrazine to harm children, the agency has increased its estimate of the chemical's lifetime cancer potency. The analysis found that atrazine has the potential to deliver potent harmful effects to the fetus, infant and child reaching puberty. After a five year review of industry and government data summarized in its new "hazard assessment," EPA found atrazine to be a more potent carcinogen than before. EPA had classified the weed killer as a "possible" carcinogen: now it is "likely" to cause cancer. The agency has (NOW) concluded that short term, perhaps even single day exposure to atrazine has the potential to cause a range of reproductive effects and developmental defects, including miscarriage, and delayed vaginal opening and penis development during puberty.

EPA says it may need to adopt a new, stronger drinking water standard for atrazine to protect children. The current method of regulating atrazine in drinking water is based on an annual average level, discounting seasonal spikes and peaks. This could be replaced with a new legal limit based on short term, even single day, exposures to protect the fetus, the infant, and the young adult male in vulnerable windows of sensitivity. Instead of testing tap water four times a year for atrazine, utilities could be required to test as often as every day during the peak contamination period - more than 100 times per year. Atrazine (NOW) contaminates the tap water of more than 10 million people in the Midwest and causes more health standard violations in tap water than any other EPA regulated chemical pollutant. Water utilities now spend at least $30 million per year testing and treating tapwater for the chemical.

Well Lyndon, What more can I say.  You have obviously "registered" another POISON that is KILLING us without bothering to adequately test it!  But, what is far worse, you are still allowing its "registered use"!

(Editor's Note:  Okay, at what point do the people start meaning more than profits?  Government officials can be sued for malfeasance... is endangering and killing off the population not considered malfeasance?)

TOP
 If you would like to be included in our mailing list for continuing information on pesticides, Email Us. with "subscribe" in the subject line.