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PANUPS: Propargite Uses Canceled



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                         P A N U P S
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                   Pesticide Action Network 
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April 21, 1996

NGO Challenges EPA Decision to Continue Use of 
Propargite 

The National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides 
(NCAMP) has petitioned EPA to suspend all registrations of 
pesticides containing propargite immediately. The U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Uniroyal Chemical 
Company had reached an agreement on April 5, 1996, to cancel 
several uses of the pesticide propargite due to new 
information indicating that this chemical poses greater 
cancer risks than previously thought, especially to infants 
and children. 

Uniroyal Chemical Company (based in Connecticut) is the only 
registered producer of propargite, which is used to kill 
mites. According to the agreement, use of propargite will no 
longer be allowed on apricots, apples, peaches, pears, plums, 
figs, cranberries, strawberries, green beans and lima beans--
crops frequently eaten by American consumers in general, and 
children in particular.

EPA's Dietary Risk Evaluation Section recently calculated 
that the overall dietary cancer risk from propargite has been 
approximately 16 per million people exposed. EPA stated that 
propargite could pose unacceptable risks over a lifetime of 
exposure (70 years). According to EPA, the cancellations 
should reduce propargite exposure to adults and children by 
more than 85%, and to infants by more than 98%. 

NCAMP stated that EPA should reduce cancer risk from exposure 
to propargite "at least to the level the agency has defined 
as 'negligible.'" While EPA defines "negligible" as one in a 
million, the agency's proposal allows more than two cases of 
cancer per million people exposed to propargite, according to 
NCAMP. Under EPA's plan, propargite use will continue on many 
other crops, including nectarines and grapes. 

NCAMP pointed out that over the past several years evidence 
has emerged indicating that propargite poses a range of acute 
and chronic health risks. In addition to EPA's recent 
analysis that dietary propargite exposure poses unacceptable 
cancer risks to children, NCAMP cited a 1986 outbreak of 
acute dermatitis among 114 California farmworkers exposed to 
the pesticide and studies demonstrating that propargite 
causes a rare form of cancer in rats.

Compared to adults, children are particularly vulnerable to 
pesticide exposures for a range of physical and behavioral 
reasons, including that children eat more food per unit of 
body weight; typically consume more fruit; are less able to 
break down and excrete toxic chemicals; and experience 
windows of physiological vulnerability when exposures to 
chemicals can permanently damage developing systems.

NCAMP has urged EPA to consider alternative pest management 
practices, such as cultural practices and biological 
controls, that could replace toxic chemical approaches. NCAMP 
stated that it has long been recognized that chemical 
controls have led to mite problems because they kill natural 
predators which keep pest mites in check.

Uniroyal's agreement with EPA stipulates that the company 
will not sell or distribute any propargite products labeled 
for use on the above-mentioned crops after April 26, 1996. 
Uniroyal will also notify buyers of cancellations with new 
labels, and will not seek exemptions or challenge revocation 
of tolerances and food additive regulations for any of the 
canceled uses. 

Sources: Pesticide and Toxic Chemical News, April 10, 
1996; San Francisco Chronicle, April 6, 1996; EPA press 
release, April 5, 1996; NCAMP letter to EPA, March 23, 
1996; NCAMP press release, April 5, 1996.

Contact: PANNA (see below); NCAMP, 701 E Street, SE, 
Washington, DC 20003; phone (202) 543-5450; email 
ncamp@igc.apc.org.

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