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Utility Company Sued Over Pollution from Toxic Wood Poles
September 21, 2009

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May 29, 2008

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Pentachlorophenol

General Information

• Product Names:
  Penta 5 Sure-Treat Wood Preserver (KMG-Bernuth)
  Dura-Treet 40 Wood Preserve (KMG-Bernuth)
  Pentacon (KMG-Bernuth)

• Chemical Class: Chlorophenol compound
• Uses: Restricted use heavy duty wood preservative (fungicide, bactericide, herbicide, molluscicide, algaecide and insecticide) targets carpenter ants, mold, powderpost beetles, termites, wood rot/decaying fungus, wood rot/decaying organisms, wood stain fungus.
• Alternatives: Wood preservative
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health and Environmental Effects

• Cancer: Probable (15)
• Endocrine Disruption: Probable (5)
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (31)
• Neurotoxicity: Yes (31)
• Kidney/Liver Damage: Yes (31)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (31)
• Birth/Developmental Yes (31)
• Detected in Groundwater: Yes (31)
• Potential Leacher: Yes (31)
• Toxic to Birds: Yes (40)
• Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Yes (31)
• Toxic to Bees: Not documented

Additional Information

• Regulatory Status:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) signed (9/2008)
  • Beyond Pesticides' Revised Risk Assessment comments (6/2008)
• Supporting information:
  • Wood Preservatives Campaign (Beyond Pesticides)
  • Poison Poles (Beyond Pesticides, 1999)
  • Pole Pollution (Beyond Pesticides, 1997)
  • NCAP Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides)
  • Extoxnet Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (Extension Toxicology Network)
  • PAN Pesticides Database:Pentachlorophenol (Pesticide Action Network)
  • Scorecard Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (The Pollution Information Site)
  • Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (Washington Toxics Coalition)