CHLORDANE Banned out of FEAR or FACT? Created by Jamie D. Palmer Issues in Agriculture Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office November 2005

What you need to know... What is Chlordane and its uses? What is its history? Why is this important to us? Why was Chlordane banned? What do the facts say?

What is Chlordane? C10H6Cl8 Man-made mixture of chemicals Thick, insoluble liquid

What were its uses? Controlling insects on the farm and at home Protecting lawns, gardens, and most importantly homes

Protecting the home... Chlordane’s most important use was protecting homes from termite invasion

What is Chlordane’s history? First commercially produced in 1947 Public concern rose EPA began phase out in 1978 with its use on food crops All uses were banned in 1988

Why is this important to us? 1. Effective pesticides being removed from our shelves 2. Insect damage to food and homes

Why is this important to us? Effective pesticides are often banned Less effective replacements Yielding heavier, more frequent applications No real solution to the pesticide dilemma

Why is this important to us? Less effective pesticides mean… Higher prices and ruining vegetables Fleas in homes and on pets Skyrocketing costs for termites damage

Why was Chlordane banned? Liver problems with lab mice fed a diet of Chlordane Chemical runoff leaving food and water supply susceptible to Chlordane

Why was Chlordane banned?

Health Effects of Chlordane * above the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) Short Term Lifetime Liver Kidney Heart Lungs Spleen Adrenal Glands Cancer Central Nervous System Blood System

How are you exposed? Exposure comes from three different ways Lungs Skin Ingestion

Those most likely exposed Who is exposed? Those most likely exposed to high levels are: those who worked in the manufacture of Chlordane, pest control workers, farmers, and lawn maintenance workers.

People are still being exposed Who is exposed? People are still being exposed to Chlordane through: Chlordane treated homes Food Water

Is exposure really a problem Is exposure really a problem? Chlordane Exposure in the Daily Food Intake Allowance Infants Teenagers Adult Amount 0.0013 ug/kg 0.0005-0.0015 ug/kg 0.11 ug/kg 0.0006 mg/kg A microgram is one thousandth of a milligram ug/kg = microgram per kilogram body weight mg/kg = milligram per kilogram body weight

What do the facts say? CDC - “No harmful effects on health have been confirmed in studies of workers who made Chlordane.” ATSDR - “There is no link between Chlordane and cancer.”

Studies reveal... 4-year-old ingested Chlordane 24 men studied from a Chlordane factory 47-year-old nurseryman daily exposure Velsicol Chemical Corporation study

Velsicol Chemical Corporation Table shows US death rates compared to Velsicol death rates Study also looked at Heart Disease, and Stroke Showed no increase of death rates of those workers Cancer Death Rates

What else raises red flags? Rachel Carson’s book - Silent Spring Pesticides killing birds Painted grim picture of pesticide use US Fish & Wildlife survey disproved her accusations

Problem in the application... “The truth is that if pesticides are used according to label instructions, they are remarkably safe.” - William Robertson, director of the Washington Poison Center in Seattle “Most people have no idea that many pesticides are extremely potent against pests, with little hazard to humans.” - Michael Potter, Urban Entomologist at University of Kentucky

What you know now... What Chlordane is and its uses What is its history Why it is important to us Why Chlordane was banned What the facts say

To sum it all up... Careful examination of pesticides People should listen to valid research and make informed decisions before listening to sensationalist views Pesticides are potentially risky, but if directions are followed they are rarely hazardous to humans

CHLORDANE The End