For the first time since 1983, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued an emergency ban on a common pesticide: the weedkiller Dacthal. The EPA said the action must be taken without hesitation, as unborn children are at risk.
“DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately,” assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff said in a news release. “It’s EPA’s job to protect people from exposure to dangerous chemicals. In this case, pregnant women 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.”
Also known as DCPA, the pesticide is used to control weeds on broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, strawberries, vegetables, cotton and beans. First registered in the United States in 1958, there are now at least 66 products that use the substance.
When a pregnant woman is exposed to DCPA, according to the agency, their unborn baby’s thyroid hormone levels may be altered, leading to low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ and impaired motor skills. The negative health effects may be irreversible, and mothers can be exposed to the pesticide without knowing it.
This is not the first time the EPA has brought DCPA’s health risks to the forefront.
“In April 2024, EPA issued a public warning regarding the significant health risks to unborn babies of pregnant individuals exposed to DCPA and its intent to pursue action to address the serious, and in some instances, permanent and irreversible health risks associated with the pesticide as quickly as possible,” the agency reported. “In a letter to AMVAC dated March 27, 2024, EPA restated the risks the agency found and noted that the agency would be pursuing regulatory options as soon as possible which could include cancelling the pesticide or seeking an emergency suspension.”
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