December 30, 2015

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a draft human health risk assessment for tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP). TCVP is an organophosphate insecticide used in pet flea and tick collars, powders and sprays as well as an insect control treatment to livestock and their premises, in kennels, and outdoors as a perimeter treatment.

EPA’s draft human health risk assessment shows potential risk to children ages 1 to less than 2 years old from contact with pets that were treated with TCVP in the solid or dust form. EPA is working to clarify a number of uncertainties around these preliminary findings and is seeking public comment to help resolve these uncertainties. If there appear to be risks to children after these uncertainties are resolved, EPA will take appropriate regulatory action.

In April 2009, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) petitioned EPA to cancel all TCVP pet products. A 2014 residential risk assessment conducted by EPA found no risk issues of concern for pet products, and EPA denied the petition. Early in 2015, NRDC appealed EPA’s denial of the petition. As part of this litigation, EPA agreed to issue a revised human health risk assessment before the end of 2016. EPA has updated its 2014 risk assessment with newer pet fur residue data, consideration of the TCVP pet collar products as both a liquid and a solid (dust) formulation, and additional safety factors.

The public can view the draft human health risk assessment and supporting documents in the EPA docket (EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0316), available at www.regulations.gov. The public comment period on the draft assessment closed March 21, 2016.