Group Uncovers Study Linking Atrazine with Prostate Cancer
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JOURNAL OF PESTICIDE REFORM/ SUMMER 2002 • VOL. 22, NO. 2 ● NEWS FROM AROUND an average of 20 years at the plant,”1 reported NRDC in the group’s sum- mary of the Syngenta study. GROUP UNCOVERS STUDY LINKING Syngenta’s refusal to release its study caused a critical gap in EPA’s ongoing ATRAZINE WITH PROSTATE CANCER evaluation of atrazine’s safety. EPA (without the study) classified atrazine Syngenta, manufacturer of the was most common in workers who as “not likely to be carcinogenic [can- widely-used herbicide atrazine, admit- had worked for Syngenta the longest.1 cer-causing] in humans.”2 EPA found ted last fall that workers at its St. “All but one of the observed pros- that the other studies linking atrazine Gabriel, Louisiana, facility developed tate cancers in the entire cohort oc- exposure and cancer “do not make a prostate cancer over three times as curred in men with 10 years or more strong case for an association between often as other Louisiana men. Syngenta at the plant, and the company em- atrazine exposure and human cancer.”2 submitted a study of cancer rates ployees with prostate cancer worked Based on this link with prostate can- among its employees to the U.S. Envi- cer, along with new research showing ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) but atrazine at low concentrations causes only after keeping some data under sexual deformities in frogs (See “The wraps for years. The atrazine manu- Weed Killer Atrazine Feminizes Frogs,” facturer kept information from EPA Kevin Lemaire p.8-9), NRDC is asking EPA to join the until the Natural Resources Defense European nations that have banned Council (NRDC) learned about the the use of atrazine. In a notice sub- study and asked EPA to get the mitted to EPA, NRDC asked EPA to information from Syngenta.1 revoke all atrazine tolerances and In addition to its unusually high in- cancel its registered uses.1 cidence, prostate cancer among work- —Caroline Cox ers at the atrazine manufacturing facil- ity exhibited several other striking char- 1. Natural Resources Defense Council. 2002. Let- ter from J.P. Devine, senior attorney, and J.B. acteristics. The workers who developed Sass, senior scientist, to S.L. Johnson, EPA as- prostate cancer were young (almost sistant administrator, June 3. always less than 55) and this cancer 2. U.S. EPA. Office of Pesticide Programs. 2001. Atrazine: Toxicology disciplinary chapter for the reregistration eligibility decision document. Washington, D.C. www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/ Caroline Cox is JPR’s editor. Detail from an aerial view of the Syngenta plant. reregistration/atrazine/index.htm. pp. 56-57. ● NEWS FROM AROUND study is that most streams were con- taminated with multiple compounds. USGS found seven of the measured PERSONAL CARE PESTICIDES compounds in a typical stream, and one stream had 38 different com- FREQUENTLY FOUND IN WATER pounds. “The results of this study sug- gest that additional research on the The commonly used insect repel- found in almost three-quarters of the toxicity of the target compounds lant DEET often contaminates rivers samples analyzed by USGS. Triclosan should include not only the individual and streams. In fact, it was the most was found in almost 60 percent of the OWCs [organic wastewater contami- frequently detected synthetic com- samples. nants] but also mixtures of these com- pound found by the U.S. Geological USGS surveyed 139 streams in 30 pounds,” concluded USGS. Survey (USGS) in a recent nationwide states across the country. The study is “Protecting the integrity of our wa- survey of drugs, hormones, and other a reconnaissance study, designed to ter resources is one of the most es- contaminants of streams. The USGS determine if these water contaminants sential issues of the 21st century,” study also frequently detected triclosan, “are entering U.S. streams and to esti- wrote USGS in the introduction to this a pesticide used in antibacterial hand mate the extent of their co-occurrence.” study. Pesticide alternatives are an im- cleaners, some sponges, and other con- Therefore, USGS selected streams to portant part of that protection. sumer products. sample that were likely to be suscep- —Caroline Cox DEET (N,N-diethyltoluamide) was tible to contamination. Most of the sites were “downstream of intense urban- Kolpin, D.W. et al. 2002. Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. ization and livestock production.” streams, 1999-2000: A national reconnaissance. Caroline Cox is JPR’s editor. Another striking result of this USGS Environ. Sci. Technol. 36: 1202-1211. NORTHWEST COALITION FOR ALTERNATIVES TO PESTICIDES/NCAP 6 P. O. BOX 1393, EUGENE, OREGON 97440 / (541)344 -5044.