EPA will permanently cancel the weedkiller Dacthal, which has been linked to serious health risks in fetuses, the agency announced Wednesday.
Earlier this month, EPA issued a rare emergency order — the first in nearly 40 years — that immediately halted all sales and use of the pesticide. Dacthal, also known as DCPA, or dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, is used by farmers on crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
Last week, manufacturer AMVAC Chemical announced that it would voluntarily cancel all production of the pesticide in the United States and abroad in light of EPA’s emergency order. The voluntary cancellation paves the way for EPA to extend its emergency order into a permanent cancellation.
“AMVAC’s decision to voluntarily and quickly cancel their DCPA registrations is a huge win for public health and will ensure pregnant women are no longer exposed to a chemical that could cause their babies to experience irreversible lifelong health problems,” Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said in a news release.
