.Pesticide Gateway Index

.About the Gateway

.Eating with a Conscience

.Home

Boric Acid

General Information

• Beyond Pesticides Boric Acid ChemWatch Fact Sheet
• Boric Acid Product Names
• Chemical Class: Boron compound
• Uses: insecticide, fungicide, herbicide
• Alternatives: Residential
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Least-toxic

Health Effects

• EPA Acute Toxicity Category: III (slightly toxic)
• Cancer: Not documented
• Endocrine Disruption: Not documented
• Reproductive Effects: Yes(7)
• Neurotoxicity: Not documented
• Kidney/ Liver Damage: Not documented
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes(7)
• Birth/ Developmental Defects: Yes(7)

Environmental Effects

• Detected in Groundwater: Not documented
• Detected in Streams: Not documented
• Potential Leacher: Not documented
• Toxic to Birds: Not documented
• Toxic to Fish/ Aquatic Organisms: Not documented
• Toxic to Bees: Not documented
• Toxic to Mammals: Not documented
• Long-Range Transport: Not documented

Additional Information

• Regulatory Information:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligability Decision (RED) signed (9/1993)
• Supporting information:
  • Daily News Blog entries (Beyond Pesticides)
  • Northwest Coaltion for Alternatives to Pesticides Boric Acid Fact Sheet
  • PAN Pesticides Database: Boric Acid (Pesticide Action Network)
• Key Studies:
  • Boric Acid Outperforms Dursban® In School District IPM Program for Cockroaches. Daar, S. 1988. The IPM Practitioner 10(4):5. Bio-Integral Research Center, Berkeley, CA.