Chem-News July 1990
SODIUM FLUOALUMINATE (CRYOLITE) SECTION 18 AMENDED
On May 23, 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
granted New York State a Section 18, emergency exemption, for the use of
sodium fluoaluminate (Cryolite) to control Colorado potato beetles on
potatoes. Initially, only two applications were allowed to be made.
Because two applications of cryolite were not sufficient to obtain
control under New York State growing conditions, an amendment was
applied for and granted on June 27, 1990. Now, potato growers may apply
up to six applications of cryolite during the 1990 growing season. All
other terms and conditions of the May 23 emergency exemption still
apply, including a record keeping requirement imposed by the DEC.
William G. Smith, Chemicals-Pesticides
RESEARCH FINDS WAY TO REMOVE PESTICIDE FROM RINSATE
Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service have
developed a portable, two-step, three-day process that converts
pesticides to harmless byproducts. The process has succeeded in
removing 90 percent of active ingredients for solutions of 30 gallons
that contained metolachlor, cyanazine, atrazine, paraquat, and dicamba
residues.
In the process, a solution containing pesticides in concentrations
of 100 parts per million is ozonated to make the active ingredients more
biodegradable. The ozone breaks powerful chemical bonds, creating new
compounds. The mixture then passes into a fermentation chamber, where
bacteria eat the pesticide. Almost complete mineralization occurs, and
the solution is reduced to carbon dioxide, water, ammonia, and other
harmless elements
ARS scientists are optimistic about the future of the treatment,
but they acknowledge several potential barriers remain. Progress has
been slow because of treatment variables including the effect of
fertilizers in rinsate and other ingredients, including detergent, oil,
dirt, and rust. The system is not ready for commercial development,
according to ARS. It is a research project that is not marketable at
this point.
(Chemical Regulation Reporter, 6/8/90)
HUMAN POISONING DATA UPDATE
Since 1983, the American Association of Poison Control Centers
(AAPCC) National Data Collection System has been compiling an annual
report detailing human exposure to poisons. In 1983, 16 Poison Control
Centers participated in this effort reporting 251,012 human exposures.
By 1988 the number of participating centers had increased to 64 and
1,368,748 human exposures were reported. Table 1 reviews the chemicals
most commonly involved in reported exposure cases.
________________________________________________________________________
Table 1. Substances Most Frequently Involved in Human Exposure
Substance No. %*
_______________________________________________________________________
Analgesics 143,450 10.5
Cleaning substances 137,240 10.0
Cosmetics 110,546 8.1
Plants 93,975 6.9
Cough and Cold preparations 76,566 5.6
Hydrocarbons 52,454 3.8
Pesticides(includes rodenticides) 52,125 3.8
Topicals 49,630 3.6
Bites/envenomations 47,829 3.5
Foreign bodies 47,374 3.5
Sedative/hypnotics/antipsychotics 46,388 3.4
Chemicals 43,540 3.2
Antimicrobials 43,374 3.2
Food poisoning 39,226 2.9
Alcohols 37,212 2.7
Vitamins 36,254 2.6
_____
Despite a high frequency of involvement, these substances are not
necessarily the most toxic, but rather often represent only ready
availability.
* Percentages are based on the total number of human exposures rather
than the total number of substances.
________________________________________________________________________
In 1988, 88% of human exposures cases were due to accidental
exposure, while 10% of the exposures were intentional (6.7% suicide).
As you would expect, 61% of the poisonings involved children under 6
years of age. The most common route of exposure (77%) was via
ingestion. There were 1,496 exposures to fungicides; 4,549 exposures to
herbicides; 41,499 exposures to insecticides; and 10,626 exposures to
rodenticides.
Of these 1,368,748 exposures, 545 resulted in fatalities. Of these
fatalities, a pesticide was identified as the cause of death in 14 cases
(see table 2).
The majority of the pesticide related deaths were the result of
intentional suicide. A summary of the accidental exposures follows: a
69 year old man died after spraying his yard with copper chloride and
benomyl; a 34 year old man died from ingesting paraquat while spraying
weeds; and 18 month old child ingested an unknown fire ant killer and
died 1 hour after reaching the hospital. The 1988 Report was printed in
the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol 7, Number 5 (September
1988).
_______________________________________________________________________
Table 2. Categories with Largest Numbers of Deaths
Category No.
_______________________________________________________________________
Antidepressants 135
Analgesics 118
Stimulants and Street Drugs 101
Sedative/hypnotics 77
Cardiovascular drugs 65
Alcohols/glycols 41
Gases and fumes 39
Asthma therapies 7
Chemicals 4
Cleaning substances 19
Pesticides(including rodenticides) 14
________________________________________________________________________
(Extension Service Update, Agriculture Programs, IPM and Pesticide
News, May 1990)
SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES PESTICIDE EXPORT LEGISLATION
Controversial pesticide export legislation was approved by voice
vote on.June 6, 1990 by the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Committee (See June 6, Page 2).
The Fruit and Vegetable Title of the 1990 farm bill, as approved by
the committee, contains language introduced by Sen. Leahy (D-Vt.) which
amends FIFRA to prohibit the export of pesticides not registered for use
in the U.S.
The legislation also prohibits the import of food treated with
pesticides whose use has been banned in the U.S. by amending Section 408
of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to require revocation of
tolerances when uses are cancelled or suspended.
Markup of the legislation was originally scheduled for May 22, but
was postponed until after the Memorial Day recess. Over the break,
three significant revisions were made, including a change in how the
concept of "prior informed consent" is to be applied.
Under "prior informed consent," the EPA can block the export of
banned pesticides to any country which objects to receiving it,
providing the imported country certifies that it will not manufacture
the pesticide, or buy it from another country.
Over the recess, the language was changed so that if the country
does not respond to the EPA's notice of a company's intention to export,
shipments may proceed .
A failure by the country of use to respond is considered to signal
consent unless the country has previously issued a written refusal to
receive the pesticide. Once a country refuses to consent to importation,
the refusal remains in effect as a 'continuing refusal' until the
country modifies or withdraws the refusal .
If a country of use has refused to consent to the importation of
the pesticide, the EPA must provide written notice to the exporter in
the form of a letter or a notice in the Federal Register.
The bill requires that the tolerance for a pesticide be revoked
when its registration is cancelled with or without the consent of the
registrant. But over the recess, a pipeline provision was added which
gives the EPA the discretion to leave the tolerance in place long enough
to allow food that could contain the pesticide chemical residue as a
result of lawful application to move through the food distribution
chain.
Although it had been proposed that the extension be limited to 12
months, the legislation states that the time allowed shall be what is
normally required for that food to proceed from production to
processing, transportation, storage and distribution .
Requirements for exemptions for research or experimental use were
relaxed with the deletion of earlier language which required that the
exporter have a Section 5 Experimental Use Permit for the U. S . and
that the purpose of the foreign research be accumulation of data for the
registration of the pesticide in the U.S.
Under the legislation, exceptions are allowed for temporary use of
no more than 180 days, and in cases when use of the pesticide will
prevent the spread of a communicable disease, widespread famine or human
starvation in the country of use .
The legislation applies to any pesticide which is restricted for
reasons of human health risk; that is suspended or cancelled, or that is
the subject of a conditional registration or an interim administrative
review in which cancellation is proposed .
Pesticides which contain an active ingredient classified by the
World Health Organization as "extremely hazardous" or "highly hazardous"
would also be subject to the export ban.
Leahy's legislation requires the EPA, in cooperation with the FDA,
USDA and other federal and international agencies, to convene an
international meeting to promote cooperation on regulatory programs and
strategies for sustainable agriculture.
P&TCN, 6/13/90
PESTICIDE RISK TO CHILDREN, OVERALL IMPRECISION, NOTED BY CAMPT
Pesticide risk assessment "imprecision is a major factor in the
difficulty we face in communicating risk to the public," Douglas D.
Campt, Director, OPP, EPA, observed in a June 18 speech in which he also
noted that generally the daily pesticide exposure of infants and
children to pesticide residues is higher than adults. He told the
Institute of Food Technologists meeting in Anaheim, Calif.:
"... (R)isk assessment must achieve four major objectives. Correct
identification of a disease potential; an expression of innate
potency of the chemical to produce the disease; the nature of
populations likely to be at risk, and finally, a candid expression
of the strengths and weaknesses of the data and assumptions that
were critical to the total assessment. Each of these areas rests
not upon a static base of knowledge, but rather upon a constantly
evolving science. Therefore, risk assessors must adapt traditional
procedures to accommodate new knowledge, with the desired outcome
being reductions in what is commonly an uncertain application of
science. This imprecision is a major factor in the difficulty we
face in communicating risk to the public."
Campt noted that although the higher exposure of infants and
children to pesticide residues lasts for less than two years, "as
opposed to an entire lifetime, EPA still looks specifically at how the
eating habits of children can affect their exposure in dietary exposure
calculations".
P&TCN, 6/20/90
ISOMATE-M PHEROMONE DISPENSERS TO BE USED ON QUINCES
EPA June 13 expanded the exemption from tolerance requirements for
use of Isomate-M pheromone dispensers to permit use on quinces. As
petitioned by Bio-control Ltd., the agency had granted the tolerance
exemption for use on all raw agricultural commodities, including
nectarines, peaches, and macadamia nuts
P&TCN, 6/20/90
VINCLOZOLIN (RONILAN) TOLERANCE SET
A tolerance for vinclozolin of 3.0 ppm in or on tomatoes and 1.0
ppm in or on cucumbers was established, based on a petition submitted by
BASF Wyandotte (See April 18, Page 8). EPA said establishment of the
tolerance for the fungicide 3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-ethenyl-5-methyl-
2,4-oxazolidinedione and its metabolites containing the 3,5
dichloroaniline moiety allows the importation of greenhouse tomatoes and
greenhouse cucumbers bearing residues of vinclozolin.
P&TCN, 6/20/90
PARAQUAT TOLERANCES ESTABLISHED
Tolerances of 0.3 ppm in beans, dry, and 30.0 ppm in bean straw
were established for paraquat. The residues for the desiccant,
defoliant, and herbicide, 1,1'-dimethyl-4'-bipyridinium-ion had been
petitioned by Chevron Chemical Co., Ortho Division.
P&TCN, 6/20/90
COMMODITY DEFINITION FOR ALFALFA FINALIZED
Also on June 14, EPA finalized the proposed commodity definition
for alfalfa as including Medicago sativa (alfalfa lucerne); Onobrychio
viciaefolia (sainfoin, holy clover, esparcet); Lotus corniculatus
(birdsfoot trefoil), and varieties and/or hybrids of these. The EPA
proposal had been based on an IR-4 petition.
P&TCN, 6/20/90
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTROL OF TICKS IN NEW YORK STATE
Only ticks belonging to the family Ixodidae ("hard ticks") are
considered here because of their importance to public health. Because
ticks are blood-sucking arthropods, they exhibit a high potential for
transmitting pathogens to humans and animals. Tick-associated diseases
that have been described in the Northeastern United States include Lyme
disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, and tick-borne viral
encephalitis. An ascending flaccid paralysis, associated with the
feeding activity of ticks, may also occur.
General Considerations
Human and animal contact with ticks can take place during a variety
of outdoor activities and in several different types of habitats. Those
at risk include campers, hikers, hunters, and other outdoor enthusiasts
as well as farmers, surveyors, and others who regularly work outdoors
near or within areas where tick populations are high. Children may also
be infested because of their playing habits. Dogs that frequently
transport engorged ticks to vacant lots, yards, and houses also increase
exposure to humans.
Progressive urbanization into previously wooded habitats exposes
large suburban populations to many tick species. Deer ticks (which
transmit Lyme disease) and their primary hosts the white-footed mouse
and the white-tailed deer survive best in areas where vegetation is
diverse and in transition.
Ticks are particularly injurious to humans and animals because all
developmental stages (larva, nymph, and adult) require blood as a
nutritive source. The bloodmeal is obtained by piercing the skin with
specialized mouthparts and withdrawing blood and tissue fluids. During
the completion of a life cycle, depending on the tick species, a
relatively wide variety of animals may be parasitized. In general,
following a bloodmeal, an engorged female drops off the host to complete
digestion and develop a large clutch of eggs which are then deposited in
a single mass. The females die soon thereafter. Each egg undergoes
embryonation and a six-legged larva (sometimes referred to as a "seed"
tick) emerges. Larvae begin seeking a host ("questing") by climbing up
low grasses, shrubs, or other vegetation to make contact with a suitable
host as it brushes against the infested vegetation.
Ticks are positively geotactic and therefore climb upward. In many
cases, the nape of the neck and scalp may serve as points of attachment
following a tick's upward migration along the clothes of an individual.
This finding has led to the erroneous conclusion that ticks drop out of
trees onto humans and immediately attach to the head.
Following engorgement, the larval tick detaches its mouthparts,
drops from the host, and following a defined time period, molts to the
eight-legged nymphal stage. The nymph then parasitizes a second host,
feeds to repletion, drops to the ground and molts to an adult. Mating
then ensues on or off a host, either before or after bloodfeeding,
depending on the tick species.
The period of time required for completing the life cycle depends
on such factors as temperature, seasonality, and availability of a host.
Individuals interested in further information concerning the bionomics
of the fifteen or so species occurring in New York may consult the
specialized literature.
Methods of Control
Ticks may be controlled or abated through a variety of ways
depending on the particular situation in which ticks are encountered.
Methods of protection from tick attack or control of ticks follow under
the headings: (l) protecting yourself, (2) protecting pets, (3) control
in dwellings, and (4) control outdoors, in campgrounds, and on hiking
trails.
Protecting Yourself
Ticks do not actively pursue hosts, rather, they wait in "ambush"
(quest) on vegetation. When hosts brush up against the vegetation, the
ticks cling to the host and begin searching for a feeding site.
Dressing properly and being generally aware of infested areas and the
seasonality of tick activity can provide a high degree of protection
from ticks.
1. Where possible, wooded and pasture areas having potentially high tick
populations should be avoided during the warmer months of the year.
Walk in the center of woodland paths to minimize contact with ticks.
2. Wear boots or high-topped shoes into which trousers are firmly
tucked, or tuck pants into socks. Clothing made of tightly woven
fabric is helpful in preventing clinging by questing ticks. Wearing
light colored clothing makes it easier to spot ticks.
3. Apply registered repellents in conjunction with protective clothing.
Repellents containing varying concentrations of deet (diethyl-meta-
toulamide) and/or dimethyl phthalate applied to exposed skin, socks,
and lower portions of trousers serve effectively to prevent tick
attachment. Some individuals may be sensitive to deet; see your
medical doctor if you have questions. Do not apply repellent directly
to skin that is irritated, cut, or abraded. Avoid reapplying to
treated skin; wash treated skin with soap and water after use and
between uses.
4. Thoroughly and systematically search clothing for crawling ticks at
least once a day (24 hours). Carefully examine all areas of the body
for ticks, especially when you return home or stop for the day.
5. If a tick is found, remove it by using a pair of tweezers carefully
placed as close to the point of attachment as possible. Pull the
tick gently and steadily away from the skin to dislodge the inserted
mouthparts. Take care to avoid crushing the tick during removal,
making sure that both fingers and the bite wound are not
contaminated. Save the tick in rubbing alcohol in case your doctor
would like to see it. Wash the hands and site of attachment
thoroughly.
Protecting Pets
Dogs and cats that are allowed to roam in wooded areas, fields, and
thickets often become infested with ticks. Periodically search such
animals; remove attached and engorged ticks using the method described
above. In areas having high tick populations, insecticide-impregnated
collars should be used routinely for both dogs and cats.
If animals are heavily infested, ticks can be controlled by using
dusts containing carbaryl, or chemical solutions containing pyrethrin I
and piperonyl butoxide, resmethrin, or permethrin. Shampoos containing
pyrethrin I or permethrin are also available for both cats and dogs.
Control in Dwellings
Engorged ticks may be brought indoors by humans, dogs, or cats,
leading to infestation of homes, kennels, and animal hospitals. The
brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) can complete its entire life
cycle in a domestic setting using dogs as a primary host. For this
reason, this species can become an important nuisance in houses,
apartments, kennels, and veterinary facilities. Eggs may be laid in
cracks and crevices, upholstered furniture, and under carpeting. Larval
and nymphal ticks may then conceal themselves in those locations as well
as behind light switches and picture frames.
For proper chemical control of brown dog ticks in kennels and
veterinary facilities, certain areas (e.g., the cracks in kennel floors
and walls, roofs, and ceilings of porches) should receive special
attention. Diazinon can be used as a residual spray. A nonresidual fog
composed of pyrethrin I and Vapona can also be employed for pet sleeping
quarters and domestic dwellings. Cat kennels and sleeping quarters
should be dusted with carbaryl following a thorough scrubbing. Open
premises of dog kennels, runs, and yards can be treated effectively
using chlorfenvinphos.
If homes or apartments are infested, rugs and carpets can be
treated with a dust formulation containing pyrethrin I or allethrin; the
latter may also be used for upholstered furniture. An indoor fogger
containing methoprene and permethrin is also useful for space spraying
domestic dwellings.
Control Outdoors, in Campgrounds, and on Hiking Trails
Outdoor activities often bring campers, picnickers, hikers,
birdwatchers, and others in close proximity to tick-infested areas. To
establish "tick-free zones" in recreational areas (tick contact may be
greatly reduced, but not eliminated), it is possible to intermix simple
cultural practices with pesticide use to drastically reduce sites of
tick contact. To do so, low-lying vegetation, shrubs, and grasses
surrounding campgrounds or backyards should be close cropped or mowed to
discourage tick movement and questing. Dursban, carbaryl, or diazinon
should then be broadcast into the surrounding vegetation to establish an
effective chemical barrier. A similar process, but on a smaller scale,
can be followed for well-defined hiking trails.
Researchers have found evidence that in areas where the deer tick
(vector of Lyme disease) is endemic it may be present in home lawns.
Workers have shown that by using registered pesticides at the proper
time, tick contact may be greatly reduced. Spraying does not guarantee
that ticks will not be present. Self protection should always be
practiced by dressing appropriately, using repellents when in
potentially tick-infested areas, and checking daily for the presence of
ticks, removing them if found.
Control should be aimed at the nymphal stage, which is the most
likely stage to transmit the disease to humans. One application of a
pesticide should be made at nymphal population peak. Research to date
indicates that in Westchester County, New York, peak populations occur
during the last week in May. (Data are lacking for other areas.) A
second application toward the end of the nymphal stage, in late July to
early August, is also suggested. Tests using carbaryl, diazinon, and
Dursban were all effective in reducing deer tick populations.
"Damminix" is another control device that presents permethrin-
permeated cotton balls in cardboard tubes. Proper placement of the
tubes is essential. Mice take the cotton balls and use them in building
nests. The mice are therefore exposed to enough pesticide to control
the ticks that try to feed on them. Damminix is reported to be
effective in reducing larval tick numbers and may have a place in an
integrated tick management program.
Commercial treatment of residential premises for tick control must
be done by certified applicators. Category 3A (Ornamentals and Turf)
commercial applicators may apply or supervise the application of
pesticides to outdoor premises for tick control.
D. A. Rutz, Chemicals-Pesticides Program and C. Klass, Diagnostic
Lab
wgs/7/90
Disclaimer: Please read
the pesticide label prior to use. The information contained at this web
site is not a substitute for a pesticide label. Trade names used herein
are for convenience only; no endorsement of products is intended, nor is
criticism of unnamed products implied. Most of this information is historical
in nature and may no longer be applicable.
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