Dow Chemical’s Dursban, a popular pesticide used to protect new homes from termites, was retired from the market at the beginning of this year, confirmed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Weeks before the deadline of 31 December, Dow presented new information to the EPA in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain an extension to the deadline agreed by the parties four years previously.
Dursban, containing the insecticide chlorpyrifos, is widely applied by builders before laying home foundations. Recent studies have linked chlorpyrifos to neurological and developmental problems in animals and young children and according to an EPA’s report current usage of this chemical ‘does not provide an adequate margin of protection for children.’ The agency estimates that roughly 20 million households in the country have applied Dursban either during construction or as an insecticide on gardens.
In 2000 the EPA and Dow reached an agreement and to stop production of Dursban for household uses. However, the agreement allows sales of existing stocks of ‘domestic’ Dursban until the end of 2005, and the pesticide will still be produced for use on golf courses and crops with no plan so far to reduce these usages.
The ban will be revisited during this year. According to EPA, Dow can present more data and Dow’s spokesman indicated the company will probably pursue this option.
The environmental organisation, Beyond Pesticides, has criticised the EPA for its willingness to keep negotiating with Dow. According to Jay Feldman, executive director of the group, this raises ‘very serious questions about how the agency uses its limited resources.’
(GF)
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/chlorpyrifos.htm
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 67, March 2005, page 18]