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How Pesticide Companies Corrupted the EPA

One of the most widely used pesticides in the same class as chlorpyrifos in the U.S., it is sprayed to kill mosquitos and control weeds in landscaping and agriculture. But the EPA has possessed, and dismissed, evidence that malathion is dangerous to people for decades.

In February 2000, a working group at the EPA classified malathion as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” based on evidence that mice and rats exposed to it developed liver tumors. The designation would have required the agency to do a risk assessment that could have limited exposure to the chemical. But after it learned of the agency’s proposed classification, Cheminova, one of the manufacturers of the pesticide,…

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Featured

 Malathion Fact Sheet

Shown to be mutagenic, a possible carcinogen, implicated in vision loss, causing myriad negative health effects in human and animal studies, damaging to nontarget organisms, and containing highly toxic impurities, malathion has a legacy of serious problems.

 Rachel Carson on Malathion, “Dangerous Interactions” between Pesticides

The alleged “safety” of malathion rests on rather precarious ground, although – as often happens – this was not discovered until the chemical had been in use for several years. Malathion is “safe” only because the mammalian liver, an organ with extraordinary protective powers, renders it relatively harmless. The detoxification is accomplished by one of the enzymes of the liver. If, however, something destroys this enzyme or interferes with its action, the person exposed to malathion receives the full force of the poison.

Articles of Interest

An Investigation of the Neurotoxic Effects of Malathion, Chlorpyrifos, and Paraquat to Different Brain Regions

Acute or chronic exposures to pesticides have been linked to neurotoxicity and the potential development of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). This study aimed to consider the neurotoxicity of three widely utilized pesticides: malathion, chlorpyrifos, and paraquat within the hippocampus (HC), corpus striatum (CS), cerebellum (CER), and cerebral cortex (CC).

EPA restricts use of malathion to protect endangered species

Following guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency has revised its rules on use of the insecticide malathion in an effort to protect 78 threatened and endangered species.

List of Health Dangers – Anvil, Malathion, Scourge

Government and manufacturer statements of health dangers, suspected health dangers and other indications of the pesticides used in the mass-spraying operations.

Malathion

Malathion has shown very good activity as a non-systemic wide spectrum insecticide effective in the control of sucking and chewing insects on fruits and vegetables. This pesticide is the oldest and most heavily used aliphatic organophosphate, having been introduced in 1950 and quickly adopted for agricultural use on most vegetables, fruits, and forage crops to control an extensive range of insect pests. Malathion was found to be safe for use around pets, and seems to control practically every kind of garden and household insect including both aphids and cockroaches. It is even used on humans to control head, body, and crab lice, and as a flea powder for dogs, cats, and other domestic animals.

Malathion 'probably carcinogenic' to humans, WHO agency concludes

Insecticide is used in Winnipeg to control high mosquito numbers.

Malathion and Pesky Bugs

Malathion is deadly stuff. Not so much to humans. For us, it’s relatively safe, though farm kids are cautioned not to eat it. Because malathion can be handled fairly carelessly, it was used a lot on farms in past decades. Insects are not so lucky. Malathion wiped out billions of honey bees over the years. Of course, it sometimes saved farm crops from hungry bugs and beetles and it did a number on malaria – for a while. But we still have nasty bugs and malaria, so the effects of malathion are ephemeral. Except where it has killed bees and put beekeepers out of business. Then the effects are permanent.

Malathion Spray

We suspect that there could be some effect on decreasing the person's immunity to fight diseases. There could be some congenital effects of long term, and then there could be long-term neurological effects, and we're not quite sure that it's absolutely safe to use in the long term.

Malathion Studies

From the authoritative scientific literature...

Molecule of the Week Archive

Malathion1 is an organophosphate insecticide that was developed in the early 1950s by Jack T. Cassaday and co-workers at American Cyanamid (Stamford, CT). It and other dithiophosphate–maleate esters were claimed as compositions of matter in US Patent 2,578, 652 (1951). It acts as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor to poison insects. A liquid with a skunk- or garlic-like odor, malathion is still on the market today for commercial and domestic use despite findings that it and similar pesticides are probable carcinogens. It is considerably safer to use than the similar organophosphate parathion, which has been banned or restricted worldwide.

Pour me another malathion, hold the lemon

Monday morning on "AirTalk" we detailed the new study linking kids' exposure to organophosphate pesticides with increased diagnoses of ADHD. It reminded me of the California official who wanted to assure the public of the safety of malathion. Malathion is a commonly used organophosphate pesticide today, but was sprayed from helicopters back in 1981 in an effort to eradicate the dreaded Medfly.

Scientist Differs With E.P.A. on Malathion

Malathion, an organophosphate related to the general chemical family that includes nerve gas, was first registered as a pesticide in 1956, and has generally been considered one of the more benign pesticides. In the 1980's and early 1990's, vast swaths of Florida and southern California were sprayed with malathion from airplanes and helicopters as those states fought infestations of the Mediterranean fruit fly, or medfly.

The Battle Over the Medfly

Ceratitis capitata. To a Muggle’s ears, it sounds like an incantation from a Hogwarts wizard. If only the matter were whimsical. Ceratitis capitata may be better known by its nonscientific name: the Mediterranean fruit fly, or Medfly to its friends. Only the Medfly has no friends, certainly not among fruit and vegetable growers, and certainly not among anyone interested in reasonably priced produce undamaged by these insects, whose eggs, hatched under the skin of, say, a tomato or a peach, develop into larvae that feast on the pulp.

The Dangers of Malathion Insecticide in Our Food and Water

You might be surprised to find out just how common these kinds of poison are. Malathion is an active ingredient in many products that are available to anyone. Since this insecticide is so widely used and available in numerous industries, it’s easy to see how it gets in our food and water.

Two widely used pesticides likely to harm 97% of endangered species in US

Malathion and chlorpyrifos are each likely to harm most of the 1,782 mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and plants listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Resources

5 things to know about malathion

World Health Organization classified malathion in 2015 as 'probably carcinogenic to humans'.

No Spray Coalition

What began in 1999 as a tiny, isolated grassroots struggle in New York City against the spraying of Malathion to kill mosquitoes said to be carrying West Nile Virus has become a major effort with nation-wide consequences. Today, we align ourselves with many similar grassroots groups across the country and are inspired by their work. We share information, send our members to participate in anti-pesticide struggles elsewhere, and post their work to the NoSpray Coalition website.

CDC

Malathion is a pesticide that is used to kill insects on agricultural crops, on stored products, on golf courses, in home gardens, and in outdoor sites where trees and shrubs are grown at home; it is also used to kill mosquitoes and Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies) in large outdoor areas. Additionally, malathion is used to kill fleas on pets and to treat head lice on humans. I

EPA

The draft human health risk assessment raises some concerns about the use of malathion applied by air. The use of malathion by ground application (fogging equipment mounted on trucks) does not raise concerns.

National Pesticide Information Center

Malathion is an insecticide in the chemical family known as organophosphates. Products containing malathion are used outdoors to control a wide variety of insects in agricultural settings and around people's homes. Malathion has also been used in public health mosquito control and fruit fly eradication programs. Malathion may also be found in some special shampoos for treating lice. Malathion was first registered for use in the United States in 1956.