Declaring that endosulfan is unsafe, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it is about to ban one of the last organochlorine pesticides still used in the United States.

Endosulfan—used largely on vegetables, apples, melons and cotton—"poses unacceptable risks" to farm workers and wildlife, EPA officials said. In response, the agency is moving to cancel the pesticide's registration.

Endosulfan is a chlorinated insecticide that is chemically similar to DDT, which was banned nearly 40 years ago. Like DDT, endosulfan builds up in the environment and in the bodies of people and wildlife, and it is transported around the world via winds and currents. Nearly all other organochlorine pesticides already have been banned.

Because of the risks to human health and the environment, "pesticide products containing endosulfan do not meet the standard for registration" under a federal law governing pesticides, EPA officials announced. The agency is now working with endosulfan's sole manufacturer, Makhteshim Agan of North America, a North Carolina subsidiary of an Israeli company, to terminate all uses yet give growers time to shift to alternatives.

The agency's move reverses a decision made in 2002 under the Bush Administration that allowed continued use of endosulfan with some restrictions. That decision triggered a lawsuit two years ago filed by farm labor unions and environmental groups.

EPA officials said new research shows that the health risks to workers who apply endosulfan to crops "are greater than previously known, in many instances exceeding the agency's levels of concern." The agency also found the risks for wildlife, particularly fish and birds, were greater than estimated in 2002.

The human effects are largely unknown but tests on lab animals have shown that endosulfan is toxic to the nervous system and can damage the kidney, liver and male reproductive organs.

The coalition of environmental and farm worker advocates that sued the EPA welcomed the decision to ban all uses of endosulfan.

"Finally," said Kristen Boyles, who handled the lawsuit for the groups, which included United Farm Workers, Pesticide Action Network North America and the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Endosulfan should have been banned years ago. As this growing season enters full swing, we sincerely hope it's the last one where this dangerous poison is let loose in our communities and our environment."

In late 2007, the EPA updated its assessment of endosulfan's risks based largely on new research showing effects on the developing brains of lab animals and studies of farm workers that showed their exposure was greater than previously believed despite use of protective equipment. Two months later, California officials—who also were reviewing the risks of endosulfan—reported an even higher risk to workers than the EPA reported.

In addition, California officials determined that the amounts found in the air near some fields and orchards posed a public health risk to bystanders. The state declared endosulfan a toxic air contaminant in 2008, which triggered efforts to reduce people's exposure.

Last year, the EPA launched a review of the economic benefits of endosulfan, which is required before banning a substance under federal pesticides law. Its conclusion: "While a few crop uses have relatively high benefits for growers, the nationwide benefits to society as a whole are low for all uses of endosulfan and do not exceed the risks," says an EPA document released online Wednesday.

12 Comments

1. 1. JamesDavis 07:23 AM 6/11/10

   "vendicar9", I think you are consuming too much endosulfan. Take a look at "tichead" and you will see what's in store for you if you continue down that path of endosulfan destruction. "tichead", you really should consider rehab and then thank the EPA for taking your most favored drug off the market. I thank the EPA every day for saving my life and you will too.

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2. 2. drafter in reply to tichead 02:46 PM 6/11/10

   Tichead
   If you didn't like then why did you use it?

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3. 3. Neptunerover 04:39 PM 6/11/10

   Yes, before we can ban something like this, we must first do an economic review to make sure it won't put anyone in the poor house. Nevermind the coffins it's already putting people in, we're worried about the money!

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4. 4. tichead 04:35 PM 6/12/10

   In the early and mid 1990's a whole host of really toxic chemicals were not renewed by those "thieving communists at the EPA". The result was the chemical companies put their "junk science" to work developing less toxic (to both the user and the environment) chemistries that were more pest specific. While there was lag of a couple of years during the transition that may have been responsible for slightly higher than usual crop losses, the newer chemistries were worth the wait.
   
   So, vendicar9, while I share some of your sentiment about excess regulation, our extremely large regulatory bureauracracy generally has a pretty good track record of continuing to "promote the general welfare" (Preamble of The Constitution of The United States of America). Are they perfect? No. They never will be. Are some of them corrupt? Yes. There will always be an element of that. But most of them are hard working, dedicated career civil servants who actually care about the world their children and grandchildren will live in.
   
   I will gladly suffer our bloated system of "baseless regulations" before I consider moving to Russia or China. Put down the Drudge Report and pickup a few copies of Scientific American and enjoy a healthy dose of reality.

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5. 5. tichead in reply to JamesDavis 04:45 PM 6/12/10

   Thanks JamesDavis, I am doing better now. It was tough for awhile but the EPA group therapy and 9,000 year old organically brewed beer recipes have really helped.

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6. 6. Trent1492 02:36 PM 6/13/10

   Vendicar,
   
   I think at least one of the posters thinks you are quoting the nuttery with approval.

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7. 7. maam 09:32 PM 6/15/10

   This is good news, but it is diluted by the fact that so much of our produce is grown in places other than the U.S. I wonder what Mexico and Chile are using.

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8. 8. tichead 11:19 PM 6/17/10

   ..., and China, and Vietnam, and... So, buy American. Not that I'm dogmatically pro-American, but, at least we have established systems in place to regulate and monitor pesticide useage. When I was farming, my useage records were my license to farm. If my use didn't match my purchase I had more bureauracracy than could spell sniffing about for everything from labor records to bank statements.
   
   The family farmers can't afford to peddle any influence because they no longer support a large enough tax base to keep the regulators at bay. The mega-farms enjoy a 'smaller hammer' because they pay larger taxes and hire more workers and can affort to challenge in court any infractions they are charged with. That being said, there is in this country a large contingent of dedicated civil servants who care about what they are feeding their children. In other countries, they may not have the laws, the systems, or the dedicated professionals to hold the line against toxic pesticides in the food stuffs.
   
   Anecdotally, my father when asked by immigration officials, "How do you know who is a legal worker?" answered: "I see who runs when you guys show up."

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9. 9. mel rene 05:01 AM 6/21/10

   Very nice hectic discussion . US EPA is making the biggest mistake ever. USA already is facing problems with pollination of their crops. Not to mention that 1/3rd of global food is being pollinated by honey bee and Endosulfan is the ONLY soft generic that is available. EPA is deliberately or not but it is cutting the food availability for their own nation.

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10. 10. mel rene 05:06 AM 6/21/10

    US EPA is making the mistake of the century. By banning endosulfan they are again creating problems with pollination. Endosulfan is the only safe for pollinators insecticide. USA already is facing problems in this field; years of using all those so popularized neonicotinoids killed more than half of the honey bee population. People you have top import honey bee from china and japan!!!! SICK! Food shortage might not yet be so painful to Americans, but in next few years, when after banning Endosulfan and using all other pesticide you will definitely kill the last honey bee, your wallets will become very much thinner and the emptiness in your stomachs will be bigger

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11. 11. Helios 09:03 AM 2/11/11

    Endosulfan's effect on Humans can be found in Kasargod, Kerala, India.
    

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12. 12. Helios 09:03 AM 2/11/11

    Endosulfan's effect on Humans can be found in Kasargod, Kerala, India.
    

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