Alerts

Media

Comments

What's New at EPA?

Program Page

Home

As an EPA senior toxicologist questions the dramatic EPA reversal under chemical industry pressure and influence recently on its preliminary decision not to regulate the widely used insecticide malathion as a cancer causing agent, environmentalists and scientists, charging foul play, are scheduled to meet with EPA officials on Wednesday, June 28, 2000.

(Washington, D.C., June 27, 2000)  Charging foul play, environmentalists and scientists are meeting with EPA on Wednesday, June 28, 2000, 10:00a.m., Room 1123, Crystal City Mall #2, to raise serious concerns and provide research on an agency review process filled with downgrading of cancer and other health hazards and undue influence of the chemical manufacturer in the scientific review process. Armed with internal memos from an EPA senior toxicologist, the groups say the agency reversed the cancer findings of independent scientists and adopted the conclusions of an industry panel, called the Pathology Working Group, putting the public and children at risk.  The groups have asked for an investigation by EPA's Inspector General, who will be in attendance at the meeting.

 In a series of memos, a senior EPA toxicologist questions EPA's downgrading of its original diagnoses of tumors found in laboratory animals exposed to the widely used insecticide malathion. As a result of a PWG report that downgraded the severity of the types of tumors that were found in studies, EPA revised its cancer risk assessment, discounted its own scientists' opinions, and based its determination on the industry's analysis. The EPA toxicologist, in a memo to the Chairman of the Cancer Assessment Review Committee (CARC), concluded, "[U]nder EPA's Guidelines in evaluating the tumorigenic response, the PWG report should be discounted, and the original diagnoses retained."

 Malathion is used in mosquito control programs and has been used in New York City to combat mosquitoes thought to be infected with West Nile virus. The chemical is a member of the organophosphate chemical family that adversely affects the central nervous system and brain.  All organophosphate pesticides act on the body in the same way and their effects are additive, which raises questions about multiple exposure to these chemicals through many uses in and around homes and food production.

                WHAT:   Environmentalists, Scientists To Meet with EPA
                WHY:      Groups charge EPA ignored its own scientists in favor of
                                industry panel; EPA senior toxicologist says EPA is out of order.
               WHEN:    Wednesday, June 28, 2000, 10:00 a.m.
               WHERE:  EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs, Room 1123, Crystal Mall #2,
                                1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington (Crystal City), VA