EPA Releases Risk Assessment: Herbicide DCPA Shows Significant Risks to Human Health. Taking Public Comment.

The Environmental Protection Agency or EPA is taking steps to determine whether the herbicide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate or DCPA can continue to be used safely in light of significant health risks identified. 

The agency is releasing and requesting public comment on an Occupational and Residential Exposure or ORE assessment on pesticide products containing DCPA, showing risks to workers and others exposed to the pesticide, with the most serious of risks to the fetuses of pregnant individuals. Additionally, EPA is releasing a companion document summarizing EPA’s ongoing review of DCPA, the health risks EPA has identified, and potential next steps. 

Given the potential for serious, permanent, and irreversible health risks, EPA is considering whether feasible mitigation measures exist that would address these potential risks or whether canceling the registration of all products containing DCPA is necessary. Given the potential that cancellation of this pesticide could take several years to complete, EPA is releasing this assessment in order to provide the public with timely information about its risks. 

Background on DCPA  

DCPA is an herbicide registered to control weeds in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings. Agricultural crops include cole crops (e.g., broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage), onions, and other vegetables. Non-agricultural uses include non-residential turf and ornamentals. 

Occupational and Residential Exposure Assessment and Companion Document  

The Agency found that based on the currently allowed uses of DCPA, there is potential for some people to be exposed to DCPA at levels approaching those that, based on the rat thyroid toxicity test, are expected to result in adverse effects in humans. For the most common uses of DCPA, there are risks of concern for workers applying and supporting applications of DCPA, using typical equipment at the maximum application rate, even when personal protective equipment and engineering controls are used. There are specific concerns for the fetuses of pregnant individuals who apply DCPA. Based on current labels, some pregnant individuals could be subjected to exposures from 10 to 1,500 times greater than what is considered safe.

EPA will accept public comments on the ORE assessment and its anticipated regulatory approach for DCPA for 30 days—with no extension—in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0374 at www.regulations.gov. 

EPA will consider public input when addressing these risks. The agency has committed to transparency as it moves forward with regulatory action on DCPA and will keep the public advised of prospective actions in the registration review process for DCPA.