In a significant and rare move, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an emergency order to immediately stop the use of the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, commonly known as Dacthal. This order comes in response to mounting concerns over the pesticide’s severe health risks, marking the first time in nearly four decades that the EPA has taken such an urgent step.
Health risks of Dacthal
Dacthal is widely used to control weeds in both agricultural and non-agricultural applications. However, the pesticide is primarily used on crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and onions.
It has been identified as posing serious health risks, particularly to pregnant individuals. Exposure to this pesticide could lead to changes in fetal thyroid hormone levels, which have been linked to adverse health outcomes for unborn babies including low birth weight and impaired brain development and motor skills.
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“DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately,” Michal Freedhoff, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said in a press release. “In this case, pregnant [individuals] who may never even know they were exposed could give birth to babies that experience irreversible lifelong health problems. That’s why for the first time in almost 40 years, EPA is using its emergency suspension authority to stop the use of a pesticide.”
The EPA’s assessment of Dacthal
Today, on August 7, the EPA “has determined that, due to the serious and imminent harm posed by [Dacthal], an emergency exists such that this order of suspension effective immediately is necessary.” Additionally, within the next 90 days, the agency intends to “issue a notice of intent to cancel the [Dacthal] products.”
This emergency order is notable not only for its immediate implications but also for its historical significance. It is the first time in almost 40 years that the EPA has taken such an urgent measure to stop the use of a pesticide.
“Alianza is pleased to see the EPA make this historic decision,” Mily Treviño Sauceda, Executive Director of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, said. “As an organization led by farmworker women, we know intimately the harm that pesticides, including [Dacthal], can inflict on our bodies and communities. This emergency decision is a great first step that we hope will be in a series of others that are based on listening to farmworkers, protecting our reproductive health, and safeguarding our families.”
Dacthal is currently undergoing registration review, a thorough “process that requires reevaluating registered pesticides every 15 years to ensure they cause no unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment,” the EPA explains.
The agency’s emergency order is a response to the failure of Dacthal’s manufacturer to provide essential safety data. For years, AMVAC Chemical Corporation—the sole producer of the pesticide—neglected to submit the required information that would demonstrate the pesticide’s safety.
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In 2013, the EPA issued a data call-in, requiring AMVAC to submit over 20 studies that supported Dacthal’s existing registrations. Within its data request, the agency also asked for a “comprehensive study of the effects of Dacthal on thyroid development and function in adults and in developing young before and after birth.” The EPA gave AMVAC until January 2016, but it wasn’t until August 2022 that the pesticide manufacturer provided the requested thyroid study.
The following spring, in May 2023, the EPA released its report on the risks of exposure to Dacthal products. Even when precautions are taken, such as wearing protective equipment, Dacthal still poses health risks, the agency found. While current product labels indicate “entry into treated fields must be restricted for 12 hours after application,” evidence suggests that levels of Dacthal remain unsafe for 25 days or longer.
Following the EPA’s assessment, AMVAC proposed a number of changes to Dacthal’s registrations. However, its propositions failed to address the health risks posed to those who regularly work with, or around, the pesticide.
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