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PA PESTICIDES AND GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION

Release Date: 07/01/96
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PA PESTICIDES AND GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION

FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1996

EPA PROPOSES STATE MANAGEMENT PLANS AS A CONDITION FOR USE OF PESTICIDES THAT POSE A THREAT TO GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

To protect public health and the environment from possible ground water contamination, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing that the sale and use of five widely used pesticides be governed by management plans developed and tailored by each state to prevent contamination under conditions of use in the state. The five pesticides, all potential human carcinogens, are alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor and simazine.
"EPA believes that every effort must be made to protect ground water, the source of over half of the drinking water in the United States," said EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner. "This proposed program is a major step forward in protecting our drinking water supplies from pesticide contamination."

Alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor and simazine are among the most frequently detected pesticides in ground water, including numerous detections indicating contamination above levels of concern established under EPA's drinking water standards. These five products are all used to control weeds and have similar use patterns. Each has been classified as a potential human carcinogen based on animal studies.

The proposal, a federal-state partnership, grew out of extensive collaboration with state agencies and other stakeholders. With this rule, EPA is proposing state management plans as a flexible and costeffective mechanism to assess the potential for ground water contamination and to manage pesticide use to prevent it on a state-bystate, region-by-region basis. Pesticide product labels would be changed to restrict use according to the terms of state-developed management plans approved by EPA. The sale and use of pesticides which are identified as posing significant ground water concerns would be allowed only in states with EPA-approved plans. State plans will focus ground water protection on the most vulnerable areas.

Atrazine, used primarily on corn and sorghum, is the most heavily used pesticide in the United States, with use estimated by EPA at 68- 73 million pounds of active ingredient in l995. Alachlor (common trade names, Lasso, Bullet, Partner) is used primarily on corn, soybeans, dry beans and peanuts and had an EPA-estimated use of 22-27 

million pounds in l995. Metolachlor (common trade names, Dual and Pennant), used primarily on corn, soybeans, peanuts, grain sorghums, potatoes, pod crops, cotton, safflower and woody ornamentals, had an EPA-estimated use of 59-64 million pounds in l995. Simazine (trade names, Caliber and Princep) which is used on corn, alfalfa, numerous fruit and berry crops, ornamentals, turf, lawns, and for algae control on ponds, had an EPA-estimated use of less than five million pounds in l995. Cyanazine (common trade, Bladex), used primarily on corn, cotton, and sorghum, had an EPA-estimated use of 24-29 million pounds in l995. (Under terms of a voluntary agreement reached by EPA with cyanazine registrants, its use is being phased out, beginning in l997.)

After the proposed regulation becomes final, the Agency is proposing to allow 24 months for the states to submit management plans for the five pesticides, six months for EPA to approve them, and a three-month startup period.

Comments on the proposed rule are due 120 days after publication in the Federal Register, which is expected on June 26. Comments should be addressed to: Public Response and Program Resources Branch, Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. EPA, 40l M St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.