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<br />A leaflet widely distributed in Michigan by the Mid Michigan Sustainable Organic
<br />Organization charges, " 2,4-D has been found to damage chromosomes, and cause birth
<br />defects and tumors in lab animals." The leaflet continues, "One reason 2 4-D has been al-
<br />lowed to remain in use is that EPA has ignored and/or misinterpreted data on its ability to
<br />cause cancer." The references cited? None.
<br />Another leaflet distributed by the Minnesota Herbicide Coalition takes a somewhat
<br />different tack. Apparently 2,4-D is not the problem. But, 2,4-D "degrades into 2,4-DCP"
<br />(2,4-dichlorophenol) which is "more toxic, persistent" and a known "carcinogen, mutagen,
<br />teratogen, fetotoxin" and is "toxic to binds, fish, bees and aquatic insects." Further, the
<br />leaflet continues, "EPA lists as groundwater contaminant." The 2,4-dichlorophenol toxi-
<br />cology supports none of these chazges, and 2,4-DCP is actually somewhat less toxic and
<br />less persistent than 2,4-D. EPA shows 2 4D to bean "unlikely" groundwater contami-
<br />nant. This is partly due to 2,4-D's relatively short half-life, and the fact that it degrades all
<br />the way down to carbon, carbon dioxide and common salt. In this respect, it is a biode-
<br />gradable compound. Who does the Minnesota Herbicide Coalition show as references? ,
<br />NCAMP, the N.W. Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides and the Rachel Carson Coun-
<br />cil, Inc.
<br />A leaflet distributed in northern New York which purported to have been pro-
<br />duced by the Erie County unit of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and carried the
<br />ACS logo, attacked many lawn and garden pesticides, including 2,4-D, alleging a proven
<br />link had been established between the pesticides mentioned and cancer. On September 16,
<br />1996, Dr. Clark W. Heath, Jr., Vice President, Epidemiology and Surveillance Research,
<br />American Cancer Society, stated that the brochure did not have the endorsement of the
<br />ACS and they tried to have it withdrawn. In his letter, Dr. Heath says that the brochure
<br />"contained statements that gave the misleading impression that research studies have
<br />proven a causal relationship to human cancer, instead of recognizing that the studies cited
<br />merely raised or suggested such a hypothesis." Nevertheless, the brochure continues to be
<br />distributed by anti-pesticide advocacy groups in both New York State and Ontario with
<br />the most recent distribution being done on a door-to-door basis by the Uxbridge (Ontario)
<br />Conservation Association.
<br />2,4-D and the future
<br />On the brighter side, the cancer chazges seem to be occurring less frequently, and
<br />the public seems less likely to be frightened by them. In the case of 2,4-D, perhaps there is
<br />now just too much data to the contrary and the public seems to be tiring of such chazges.
<br />How many people really believe that the use of such respectable products as Johnson &
<br />Johnson baby powder, Borden's milk, Crest toothpaste or Ajax cleanser will really give us
<br />cancer? Or that these companies are evil enough to attempt, as the Ralph Nader press re-
<br />lease states, to hide this information from us? Morality aside, the selling of a carcinogen in
<br />today's litigious society is extremely bad business.
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