L.E.A.R.N.

China Bans Pesticides Lindane and Endosulfan

March 15, 2019 by L.E.A.R.N.

“China’s environment ministry has issued a ban on the pesticides lindane and endosulfan, substances known to pose health risks to humans.

The decision, made jointly with 10 other government departments and published this week, is intended to improve China’s compliance with the Stockholm Convention, an international treaty on pollutants. China formally joined the Stockholm Convention in 2004.

Lindane and endosulfan, which are frequently used to treat crops and parasites on humans and animals, are classified under the Stockholm Convention as “persistent organic pollutants” (POPs) that stay in the environment for an exceptionally long time.

China is also restricting the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and similar substance perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), which used to be the main ingredient of 3M’s fabric treatment Scotchgard. These two substances are also considered POPs under the Stockholm Convention, and may now only be used in the limited number of applications allowed by the convention, including airplane hydraulic fluid and photo imaging.”

From CX Tech.

New Year, New Rule: Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals in Healthcare Facilities

February 28, 2019 by L.E.A.R.N.

“Just before the holiday season, EPA issued its final rule for waste pharmaceuticals management. Due to the complex nature of handling waste pharmaceuticals within healthcare facilities, it became clear to EPA that these waste streams could no longer be managed with existing RCRA waste regulations. EPA previously tried to promulgate rules regarding pharmaceutical waste streams in 2008 and then again in 2015, however the agency was never able to finalize the regulations. The goal of the final rule is to eliminate hazardous waste pharmaceuticals from water bodies and drinking water.”

From EHS Daily Advisor.

Lindane, kepone and pentachlorobenzene: chloropesticides banned by Stockholm convention

July 18, 2017 by L.E.A.R.N.

“Persistent organic pollutants are a serious problem to the environment due to their toxicity to both fauna and flora. Extremely resistant to biodegradation and prone to transfer through long distances via atmosphere can contaminate almost any place in the planet. They tend to bioaccumulate in fat tissue due to their lipophilicity and seriously affect poisoned organism’s nervous, hepatic, reproductive or hormonal system. Since 2009, due to the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants production and utilisation of certain halogenated pesticides has been prohibited. This group includes hexachlorocyclohexane, chlordecone (kepone) and pentachlorobenzene. All of these chloropesticides pose a serious threat to environment, and careful control of their production and release to the environment is required. This paper is a review of physical and chemical properties as well as sources in environment, impact on animal organisms, methods of degradation of most broadly used chlorinated persistent organic pollutants and suggestions concerning their utilisation.”

From International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology.

Atmospheric concentrations and loadings of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in the Canadian Great Lakes Basin

October 9, 2016 by L.E.A.R.N.

Long-term air monitoring data for POPs are required to determine the effectiveness of source reduction measures and factors controlling air concentrations. Air samples were collected between 1992 and 2012 at three sites with different geographical characteristics (Burnt Island, Egbert and Point Petre) in the Canadian Great Lakes Basin (GLB) using high-volume samplers and analyzed for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Spatial and temporal trends of gas-phase concentrations of OCPs, selected PCB congeners and ƩPCBs (84 congeners) were assessed. Egbert had the highest concentrations of some OCPs due to historical [dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), dieldrin, γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH)] and current (endosulfan) applications of these pesticides in the surrounding agricultural cropland. This shows that agricultural areas are a source of OCPs to the GLB. High o,p’-/p,p’-DDT ratios were determined and an increasing trend was observed at Point Petre and Burnt Island up to 2004; indicating that the GLB is influenced by dicofol-type DDT sources, which have higher o,p’-/p,p’-DDT ratios than technical DDT. Atmospheric PCB concentrations at Egbert and Point Petre are higher than those measured at Burnt Island, likely due to urban influence and greater populations. Loadings calculations suggest that the atmosphere is a source of α-endosulfan and p,p’-DDT to the lakes and the opposite is true for p,p’-DDE. Long-term decreasing trends were observed for both OCPs and PCBs; consistent with control measures implemented in North America. Atmospheric PCB concentrations are decreasing relatively slowly, with halflives in the range of 9–39 years. Chlordane, α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, dieldrin, and DDT-related substances showed halflives in the range of 7–13 years. α-HCH and γ-HCH were decreasing rapidly in air, with halflives of 5 years. Long-term declining trends of PCBs and OCPs suggest that regulatory efforts to reduce emissions to the GLB environment have been effective, but emissions from primary and secondary sources might limit future declines.

From Environmental Pollution.

DDT, Lindane Can Cause Cancer, WHO Says

June 23, 2015 by L.E.A.R.N.

“Exposure to insecticides lindane and DDT can cause cancer, according to findings released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.

WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has now classified lindane, which has been used “extensively” for insect control, as carcinogenic to humans. DDT is now classified as probably carcinogenic to humans, based on evidence that DDT causes cancer in experimental animals and limited evidence that it does in humans.

The chemicals have been linked specifically to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, testicular cancer and liver cancer. Exposure to lindane can increase one’s risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 60%, according to studies conducted in Canada and the U.S.” – Time Magazine

See complete article at Time.com.

Insecticide lindane found to cause cancer

June 23, 2015 by L.E.A.R.N.

Use of chemical in UK restricted, but consumers may still be exposed through foods imported from other countries

“A common insecticide has been found to cause cancer in humans, according to a World Health Organization review. The product, lindane, was once widely used in agriculture and continues to be found in some treatments for head lice and scabies. The WHO concluded today that the substance is carcinogenic and specifically said that exposure to the chemical could increase the risk of the rare immune cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, by 60%.

Although agricultural use of the chemical is heavily restricted in Britain, consumers may still be exposed through foods imported from some developing countries, where it continues to be used in agriculture.

The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also said that the insecticide DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, “probably causes cancer”, after finding evidence that it could increase the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), testicular cancer and liver cancer.”

From The Guardian.