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Lindane

General Information

• Beyond Pesticides Lindane ChemWatch Factsheet
• Lindane product names
• Chemical Class: Organochlorine insecticide
• Uses and Alternatives: Head Lice and Scabies
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health and Environmental Effects

• Cancer: Suggestive Evidence (26), Yes (21)
• Endocrine Disruption: Known (5)
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (13)
• Neurotoxicity: Yes (7)
• Kidney/ Liver Damage: Yes (7)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Not documented
• Birth/ Developmental Defects: Not documented
• Detected in Groundwater: Yes (4)
• Potential Leacher: Yes (7)
• Toxic to Birds: Yes (7)
• Toxic to Fish/ Aquatic Organisms: Yes (7)
• Toxic to Bees: Yes (7)

Additional Information

• Regulatory Status:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) signed (7/2002) and RED addendum (signed 7/2006)
  • NGOs' RED comments
• Supporting information:
  • PANNA Lindane Program Page (Pesticide Action Network North America)
  • Extoxnet Lindane Factsheet (Extension Toxicology Network)
  • PAN Pesticides Database:Lindane (Pesticide Action Network)
• Key Studies:
  • Lindane (gamma-HCH) causes reproductive failure and fetotoxicity in mice. Sircar, S. 1989. Toxicology.