Ciba: EPA special review will confirm continued use of atrazine, simazine.GREENSBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 1994--Ciba Crop Protection responded to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and (EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. ) special review of atrazine atrazine a triazine herbicide; it is not poisonous at levels of intake likely to be encountered in agriculture. atrazine Toxicology A nonphytoestrogenic herbicide. See Phytoestrogen. and simazine simazine a triazine weedkiller that is toxic if livestock are allowed access shortly after the plants have been sprayed. Signs of toxicity include staggering in sheep and colic in horses. herbicides announced yesterday by predicting the review will confirm that these products are safe for continued use by American farmers. Extensive scientific data demonstrate no unreasonable risks to applicators, the general public or the environment. Ciba is the primary registrant of both herbicides, used mostly in agricultural production. A Ciba official challenged the EPA announcement, which included comments about a possible link between triazine tri·a·zine n. 1. Any of three isomeric compounds, C3H3N3, each having three carbon and three nitrogen atoms in a six-membered ring. 2. A compound derived from one of these isomers. herbicides and human breast cancer. "The statement about breast cancer is misleading and unjustified," said Dr. George L. Rolofson, Vice President of Environmental and Public Affairs for Ciba. "Human epidemiology data and other scientific information show no association between atrazine or simazine exposure and increased human mortality due to cancer of any kind. In spite of its initial implication, the EPA concede in its announcement that there are no epidemiology studies linking the triazines triazines selective herbicides including atrazine, propazine, simazine, prometone, prometryne. They are poisonous if given in sufficient quantity but the syndrome, weight loss, anorexia and weakness, is too nonspecific to be valuable diagnostically. to human breast cancer." The Ciba official also said it was inappropriate for the EPA to suggest in its announcement of the special review that atrazine and simazine pose significant risks to public health due to exposure through the diet or drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. . "Scientific studies show that food consumed by humans contains virtually no residues of either herbicide herbicide (hr`bəsīd'), chemical compound that kills plants or inhibits their normal growth. A herbicide in a particular formulation and application can be described as selective or nonselective. ," said Dr. Rolofson. "For example, Ciba and the state of Wisconsin analyzed cattle feed and milk samples from dairy farms using maximum labeled rates of atrazine on corn. We found no residues of atrazine or its metabolites Metabolites Substances produced by metabolism or by a metabolic process. Mentioned in: Interactions in milk. In addition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration monitoring data for the past several years also showed no triazine residues in milk. "Although low levels of atrazine and simazine have been detected in some water supplies, health risks from these detections are negligible, and the public is protected by health-based standards that incorporate large margins of safety. A study completed this year in 21 states accounting for 92 percent of atrazine use in the U.S. showed that in 99.7 percent of the drinking water supplies tested, atrazine residues were either not present or did not exceed the EPA's lifetime health-based standard. In the small number of cases where levels exceeded the EPA standard, Ciba is working cooperatively with communities to reduce exposures to meet the standard." Rolofson said both of the herbicides have been on the market for about 35 years and the company has extensive health information on production workers collected during that period. "There has been no indication of health problems among our workers," he said. "We believe this experience shows that applicator ap·pli·ca·tor n. An instrument for applying something, such as a medication. applicator, n a device for applying medication; usually a slender rod of glass or wood, used with a pledget of cotton on the end. exposure does not cause adverse health effects because they have lower exposures than production workers. "We welcome the special review process," Rolofson said, "because we are confident that an objective evaluation of all the scientific data will verify that atrazine and simazine are safe." Rolofson noted that Ciba voluntarily initiated changes in use practices to significantly reduce the potential for human exposure to atrazine and said the company will make every effort to address the concerns raised in the special review process. Ciba does not expect any impact on the approved uses of atrazine and simazine during 1995. Atrazine and simazine remain effective, economical herbicides and are vital production tools for American farmers," he said. "We intend to support them with our best efforts." CONTACT: Steve Powell, 910/632-2725 (office)
910/643-1093 (home)
or
Rex Martin, 910/632-7838 (office)
910/282-6244 (home)
|
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion