The Latest Updates Behind the Ban on Dacthal Use
On August 6, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency suspension order for all registrations of Dacthal, an herbicide also known as dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA).
This action marked a historic and unprecedented move by the EPA, as it was the first emergency suspension in nearly 40 years. The ban wasn’t without reason. The common health risks associated with Dacthal were becoming too dangerous to ignore.
Even though this came as a shock to the rest of the world, it was not a rash decision. In fact, there have been several debates on the safety of this herbicide spanning decades before this decision was finally arrived at.
We’ll be giving you a very detailed timeline of events starting from its early days to its recent ban. This article will explore the key milestones and controversies that shaped its fate, as well as provide the latest updates on the ban.
1999: Initial Safety Requests
In 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began requesting comprehensive safety studies from AMVAC Chemical Corporation, the manufacturer of Dacthal. The herbicide underwent a very lengthy review by the EPA to assess its safety.
The agency was particularly interested in how Dacthal could affect human health, especially during pregnancy, due to its widespread use in farming.
2009: The European Union Bans Dacthal
In 2009, the European Union banned Dacthal due to mounting evidence suggesting it posed serious health risks, especially to unborn children. This ban drew attention to the increasing international concern about Dacthal’s safety and urged U.S. regulators to reconsider its approval.
2013: EPA Demands Data
In 2013, the EPA gave AMVAC, the company behind Dacthal, a stern warning. They demanded over 20 studies to prove Dacthal was safe, especially for thyroid health. This was a routine check, but it showed the EPA was serious about safety.
2017: Pesticide Found in Food
The USDA raised red flags with their findings: DCPA residues were found on 54.9% of kale samples and 4.5% of lettuce samples. This stirred up serious concerns about pesticide contamination in our food.
October 2018: Farmworker Exposure
In October 2018, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley uncovered a concerning fact: over half of teenage girls from farmworker communities in California’s Salinas Valley had been exposed to DCPA.
April 2022: EPA’s Notice of Intent to Suspend
By April 2022, the EPA had had enough. After nearly a decade of delays from AMVAC in submitting the required data, the agency issued a notice of intent to suspend the DCPA technical-grade product.
This was a very clear sign that the EPA was no longer laxing about the herbicide’s safety and AMVAC’s failure to meet regulatory demands.
2023: EPA Suspends, Then Resumes
In 2023, the EPA first banned Dacthal but then reversed the decision after AMVAC provided some of the missing data. However, the EPA still had serious concerns about its safety.
2023: AMVAC Cancels Turf Use
AMVAC decided to stop using Dacthal on lawns in 2023. This was a step in the right direction, but the EPA still wasn’t convinced.
April 2024
In April 2024, the EPA sent a formal letter to AMVAC Chemical Corporation, which makes DCPA. In the letter, the EPA stressed the serious health risks posed by DCPA and warned that it would take further action.
The EPA made it clear that this warning was part of a larger plan to tackle the dangers of the herbicide. The goal was to protect vulnerable groups and to get everyone ready for the upcoming steps to reduce the risks linked to DCPA.
August 2024: Emergency Suspension
The most dramatic turn came in August 2024, when the EPA issued an emergency suspension of all Dacthal registrations. This was a historic move, the first emergency suspension in almost 40 years.
The decision was based on overwhelming evidence of severe health risks, particularly the dangerous effects on unborn babies exposed to DCPA.
