Action Alert: Pesticide Threatens Birds
May 21, 1999
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced April 30,
1999, that it would not grant full registration to American Cyanamid for the
cotton pesticide chlorfenapyr (brand names Pirate and Alert). The American
Bird Conservancy (ABC) leads the opposition to registration of this
pesticide which has high reproductive toxicity to birds and other wildlife
and a half-life of one or more years in soil. Chlorfenapyr has been
characterized by EPA as "one of the most reproductively toxic pesticides to
avian species that Environmental Fate and Effects Division has evaluated."
Although full registration of chlorfenapyr has not been approved, EPA is
considering the possibility of granting state-by-state emergency exemptions
but under "very severe use restrictions." The agency has approved such
exemptions over the past four years in several states. American Cyanamid
however, objects to the limited conditions of emergency exemptions and is
pressing EPA to reverse its position. Some members of Congress primarily
from cotton growing states support Cyanamid's bid for full registration.
Because of this ABC is again calling for those who oppose registration of
chlorfenapyr to send letters to EPA asking that they move to protect birds
and other wildlife by denying all registrations of chlorfenapyr.
Even limited registration of a chemical by EPA has the potential to
influence other nations' acceptance and use. Many countries lack the
resources and infrastructure to develop their own risk assessments, and
therefore look to U.S. EPA for guidance.
Chlorfenapyr use on cotton or other products grown in the Western
Hemisphere could have implications for bird species that breed in the U.S.
and Canada but winter in Central or South America--as well as for other
birds and wildlife in countries where it might be used. EPA needs to send a
strong message to the industry that the risks of chlorfenapyr to the
environment and to avian species worldwide are unacceptable.
EPA's decision not to grant full registration comes after a widespread
response to the action advisory sent out by ABC through PANUPS and
numerous bird related networks in the United States and Canada. (See
PANUPS, February 8, 1999.) Approximately 200 opposing responses were
received in EPA's public docket. ABC and Defenders of Wildlife also
worked to insure that EPA initiated formal consultation regarding the
registration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service--a process to which
Cyanamid is opposed.
American Cyanamid has proposed use of chlorfenapyr as an insecticide and
miticide on cotton. Cyanamid claims that it is one of the most effective
controls available for beet armyworm in chemically intensive cotton
agriculture. Applications for use on citrus and vegetables and for termites
and ants are also pending. Chlorfenapyr belongs to a new class of chemical
called "pyrrole"--never before registered by EPA.
Letters of continuing opposition to registration can be sent to:
EPA Administrator Carol Browner: browner.carol@epamail.epa.gov, and
Senator John Breaux (Democrat, Louisiana) who supports registration:
senator@breaux.senate.gov.
Full text of the chlorfenapyr risk benefit assessment can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reg_assessment.
Additional information can be found at the American Bird Conservancy
Web site: http://www.abcbirds.org.
Source/contact: Kelley R. Tucker, Pesticides and Birds Campaign,
American Bird Conservancy, 1250 24th St., NW, Suite 400, Washington,
DC 20037, phone: 202/778.9773 fax: 202/778.9778 e-mail:
ktucker@abcbirds.org.
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Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)
49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA
Phone: (415) 981-1771
Fax: (415) 981-1991
Email: panna@panna.org
Web: www.panna.org
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with the following text on one line: subscribe panups
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