🚀 go-pugleaf

RE: AN EDUCATION TO DIE FOR...
Pesticide Injury in Schools and Universities

Irene Wilkenfield is completing a book on the growing number
of incidences involving pesticide poisonings on school campuses
which result in injury and permanent disability.

Safe Schools Project
Irene Wilkenfield
E-mail:  ndgb37b@prodigy.com.
Fax:  (318)-984-3342

Her home page offers some valuable insight:
               http://http.tamu.edu:8000/~wilk/SafeSchools.html

Related News Item and Additional Resources--

______NEWS SUMMARY_________

     "An internal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
memorandum investigates [the pesticide] CHLORPYIFOS
(Dursban) INDUCED DELAYED NEUROPATHY by reviewing 
published medical studies as well as case reports 
submitted by [the manufacturer] DowElanco," according 
to articles published in the March/April 1996 issue 
of Medical & Legal Briefs.

    The memorandum summarizes its "weight-of-evidence 
conclusion" in the following statement:
  "Taking these case reports and studies together,
  it now appears reasonable to conclude that some 
  subset of organophosphate poisoned subjects probably 
  experience persistent neurobehavioral effects" and 
  symptoms that "may persist for months or YEARS 
  after the initial exposure."  [Emphasis in original]

   The EPA findings echoed the conclusions of the 
World Health Organization that there is "reasonable 
evidence" of chlorpyifos (Dursban) causing "delayed 
peripheral neuropathy in humans."   

    The DowElanco documentation detailed a variety
of exposure situations in the 217 chlorphyifos-
poisoning case studies--workplace exposures, home 
treatments, and pesticide drift from neighboring 
application.  

    Two major school incidents were cited, one in 
which 70 teachers and students were poisoned by 
routine pesticide fumigation.   Apparently, there was
no evidence of misapplication in many of the cases
which, nonetheless, resulted in poisoning symptoms.

    Symptoms of DELAYED NEUROPATHY usually 
begin within several days to four weeks after acute 
organophosphate exposure and include: paresthesia 
(unusual sensations in the extremities such as 
numbness, tingling, burning, or pain); weakness;
ataxia (difficulty with coordinating movements); 
gait changes, or even paralysis.  

Although recovery may occur in milder cases, 
more severe poisoning cases are usually 
progressive.  

    Depression, short-term memory impairment, 
inability to concentrate, confusion, irritability, 
and other chronic neurobehavioral effects are 
known to result from organophosphate exposure.
   
    The DowElanco chlorphyifos-poisoning cases 
describe multiple poisoning symptoms, affecting 
every body system, and including, in addition 
to peripheral neuropathy:  impaired vision, headaches, 
dizziness, anemia, chemical sensitivities, nausea, 
stomach cramps, diarrhea, sinusitis, fatigue, 
rash, swollen tongue, birth defects, cancer, liver 
damage, and seizures. 

    On April 13, 1995, the EPA fined DowElanco 
$1,635,000 for failure to report, as required 
under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act, "unreasonable adverse effects" 
incidents associated with exposure to chlorpyrifos 
and other pesticides (such as trifluralin, triclopyr, 
picloram, and 2,4-D, which are registered under 
various trade names).  
 
    In the final Consent Agreement, the fine was 
reduced to $876,000 in recognition of DowElanco's 
"good attitude" involving "timely and full cooperation" 
during the investigation, and "voluntary disclosure" 
of information for the first 288 counts against 
DowElanco (most involving chlorphyifos).  

    EPA agreed not to file further charges based on 
information which may come to light as a result of 
the "best efforts" of DowElanco and its parent 
companies to review company files for subsequent 
evidence of any adverse health and environmental 
effects of their pesticides.
_______________
References:
     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Blondell, J. 
    "Review of Chlorpyifos-Associated Cases of Delayed 
     Neuropathy."  U.S. EPA Office of Prevention, Pesticides, 
     and Toxic Substances memorandum to L. Propst of EPA 
     Reregistration Branch Special Review and Reregistration 
     Division, and D. Edwards of EPA Insecticide-Rodenticide 
     Branch Registration Division.   (Jan 19, 1995) 37 pages.
     EARN Library Code:  0002-EPAB-95-037

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "In the 
matter of DowElanco:  
Complaint and Notice of Opportunity for Hearing."  
  * Docket No.  FIFRA 95-H-18 (May 1, 1995)  10 pages.
    Earn Library code:  0002-EPAF-95-010
  * Docket No. FIFRA 95-H-18 (Jul 22, 1995)   10 pages.
     Earn Library Code:  0002-EPAF-95-010A
  * Consent Agreement; Consent Order." 
     Docket No. FIFRA 95-H-18  (Aug 21, 1995) 9 pages.
     Earn Library Code:  0002-EPAF-95-009

SOURCE:  
Paraphrased/Summarized from "EPA MEMO REVIEWS 
DURSBAN CASES" and "EPA CHARGES DOW FOR 
NEGLIGENT REPORTING" by Cindy Duehring in:
    MEDICAL & LEGAL BRIEFS: A Reference Compendium of 
    Chemical Injury (Environmental Access Research Network,
    PO Box 426,  Williston, ND 58802-0426), March/April 
   1996, page 4 and 9-10.
___________________
   
ADDITIONAL RELATED INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

1. BIRC (Bio-Integral Resource Center)
    PO Box 7414
    Berkeley, CA  94707
    (510)-524-2567
    THE IPM PRACTITIONER and THE COMMON SENSE 
    PEST CONTROL QUARTERLY, publications of
    BIRC, a non-profit institution providing education
    and research on integrated pest control.
    (LEAST-TOXIC pesticide management publications
    catalog available).

Additional updates will be posted to this thread.
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