EPA issues rare emergency stop order for pesticide that can harm fetuses

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday issued its first emergency stop order in nearly 40 years, on a pesticide that can harm fetuses by affecting their thyroid hormone levels.

The EPA has been going back and forth on banning the herbicide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA) in discussions with its sole manufacturer for over a decade, according to NBC News. It first requested information on the health risks of the pesticide in 2013, and specifically asked for studies on the effects it has on fetus thyroid levels, but determined the data was insufficient at the time. 

The herbicide, which is used on weeds on broccoli, onions, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, is only considered harmful to fetuses. But changes to their thyroid levels can have permanent consequences like impaired brain development, decreased IQ, and impaired motor skills, according to the EPA.

“DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately,” Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said in a statement.“It’s [the] EPA’s job to protect people from exposure to dangerous chemicals. In this case, pregnant women who may never even know they were exposed could give birth to babies that experience irreversible lifelong health problems.”

The emergency order went into effect immediately, and occurred as part of the EPA's process of re-analyzing pesticides every 15 years to make sure they are still considered safe, and not harmful to the environment. But the pesticide has been banned in the European Union since 2009. 

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.