July 2004
For the 100th Time - 2,4-D Does NOT Cause Cancer
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft health and environmental risk assessments this week, which begins the public comment stage for the reregistration of the herbicide 2,4-D. After
examining the combined risk from exposure through food, drinking water and residential uses, with certain assumptions, the EPA concluded that 2,4-D would “not exceed” the Agency’s level of concern. As well, the Agency concluded that short-term margins of exposure for homeowner applications of 2,4-D to lawns were “not of concern.” The EPA also released a review of the recent epidemiology pertinent to 2,4-D. That review concluded by stating, “Based on the above reviews of the above studies, HED [Health Effects Division] concludes there is no additional evidence that would implicate 2,4-D as a cause of cancer.”
“The EPA’s draft assessment on the human and environmental scientific data base reinforces a growing number of regulatory decisions and expert reviews that conclude the use of 2,4-D, while protecting food production and the environment, does not present a risk to human health,” stated Donald Page, Executive Director of the Industry Task Force II on 2,4-D Research Data. “The EPA’s findings bolster the earlier decisions of authorities such as the World Health Organization and European Commission and recent studies by the U.S. National Cancer Institute,” added Page. Copies of the draft risk assessment documents and notice of the public comment period may be obtained under docket number OPP-2004-0167 at: http://docket.epa.gov/edkpub/index.jsp.
This concludes an eighteen-year process during which the Industry Task Force II on 2,4-D Research Data submitted some 300 Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) research studies. Much of this research has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, discussed at a series of public seminars sponsored by the 2,4-D Task Force, or posted on the 2,4-D Task Force web site (www.24d.org). Since being first registered in United States in 1947, the herbicide 2,4-D has become one of the most widely used agricultural herbicides in this country and worldwide. It is used on many crops such as wheat, barley, rice, soybeans, potatoes, sugar cane, pome fruits, stone fruits and nuts. It is also a component of herbicides used to protect turf grass from weeds and federally protected areas from invasive species. An economic evaluation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (NAPIAP Report 1-PA-96) concluded that should 2,4-D no longer be available, the cost to the U.S. economy in higher food production costs and weed control expense would total $1.7 billion annually. The 2,4-D Task Force is made up of those companies owning the technical registrations on the active ingredient in 2,4-D herbicides. They are Dow AgroSciences (U.S.), Nufarm, Ltd. (Australia) and Agro-Gor Corp., a U.S. corporation jointly owned by Atanor, S.A. (Argentina) and PBI Gordon Corp. (U.S.). Additional information may be obtained toll-free at 1-800-345-5109. (2,4-D Task Force, 6/25/04).
