Popular Articles
Today Week Month Year


EPA approves chlormequat chloride pesticide for wheat, barley and oat crops, putting human and mammalian reproduction at risk
By Lance D Johnson // May 12, 2023

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facilitating a new chemical experiment across wheat, barley and oat crops in the United States. For the first time ever, the EPA approved widespread application of chlormequat chloride -- a pesticide/growth retardant that has a toxic profile for birds, mammals, and human reproduction.

According to the National Institutes of Health, chlormequat chloride was listed in the EPA’s Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS) Chemical Profiles and Emergency First Aid Guides back in 1998. It is listed as an organic chloride salt and a quaternary ammonium salt that “appears as white crystals with a fishlike odor.” The chemical functions as a growth regulator, forcing plants to produce sturdier, thicker stalks. The chemical will disrupt hormones and change the growth patterns of the plants, limiting the bending and breaking of the grain stalks.

Chlormequat harms fetal and postnatal development, fertility

Since 1962, chlormequat chloride has been used in greenhouses to control the growth of ornamental flowers and boost their continuity, but it has been restricted from widespread use on food crops, due to its toxic profile. Now, it will be used across the agricultural sector to boost wheat, barley, oat, and triticale production in the US, but this will come at a cost for both ecology and human health.

Dr. Phil Landrigan, a professor of public health and epidemiologist at Boston College, called out the EPA for failing to execute their "legal duty to protect infants and children against the toxic effects of pesticides." Landrigan said the EPA “appears not to have taken that responsibility seriously.” Chlormequat residues will now multiply in the food supply and contaminate the groundwater.

Studies show that the chemical stunts more than just plant growth. A peer reviewed study found that rats exposed to the chemical have offspring with serious growth problems at the embryonic stage and in postnatal development. The chemical disrupted key hormones and caused the offspring to have increased head length, decreased body fat percentage, hypoglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hyperproteinemia. The EPA’s own human health risk assessment found the chemical to have neurotoxic effects in rats, mice, and dogs. A Danish study documented serious reproductive health problems in swine that were fed wheat treated with chlormequat at levels lower than what is currently considered safe for humans.

Chlormequat use will increase 28,000-fold in the US and pollute cereal grains

The Center for Food Safety (CFS), a public health advocacy group, estimates that the EPA's approval of chlormequat will increase its use by 28,000-fold across the American food supply. The newly-targeted crops are used to produce different kinds of cereal and make up a significant portion of a child’s diet. Over time, exposure to chlormequat residues could have a profound effect on children’s growth and hormonal development. "There appears to be evidence for developmental and reproductive toxicity," Landrigan said of chlormequat research. "Some little kids will spend a year of their life eating mostly a Cheerio diet. That’s what kids do. And in the end, the children who happen to be eating that atypical diet are the ones who are really heavily exposed."

The pesticide industry effectively pressured the EPA into giving the approval. In fact, the EPA issued the new rules for chlormequat after they were petitioned by Taminco US LLC, a subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company, which is the manufacturer of chlormequat-containing pesticides.

Taminco's 2021 petition asked the EPA to establish a new residue tolerance of 8 ppm for barley. In 2023, Taminco put more pressure on the EPA, asking the agency to establish new tolerances for oats at 40 ppm and for wheat and triticale grain at 5 ppm. Prior to the new rule, the EPA maintained pesticide residue levels for imported wheat barley at oats at 3 ppm, 2 ppm and 10 ppm, respectively. Other industry pressures are coming from The National Association of Wheat Growers and the National Barley Growers Association. Both Associations sent public comments to the EPA, pushing for expedited action on the chemical's approval, so the industry can increase yields and reap economic advantages.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Pubchem.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

Pubmed.gov

Regulations.gov

Pubmed.gov

TheNewLede.org [PDF]

TheNewLede.org [PDF]



Related News
Take Action:
Support NewsTarget by linking to this article from your website.
Permalink to this article:
Copy
Embed article link:
Copy
Reprinting this article:
Non-commercial use is permitted with credit to NewsTarget.com (including a clickable link).
Please contact us for more information.
Free Email Alerts
Get independent news alerts on natural cures, food lab tests, cannabis medicine, science, robotics, drones, privacy and more.

NewsTarget.com © 2022 All Rights Reserved. All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. NewsTarget.com is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. NewsTarget.com assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published on this site. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.

This site uses cookies
News Target uses cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy.
Learn More
Close
Get 100% real, uncensored news delivered straight to your inbox
You can unsubscribe at any time. Your email privacy is completely protected.