United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4601
EPA 811-F-95-003bb-C
October 1995
&EPA National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations
Simazine
This is a factsheet about a chemical that may be found in some
or private drinking water supplies. It may cause health problems if
found in amounts greater than the health standard set by the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
wrtwjKina^w*
6TANDARDS:
MCLG:
MCL:
iTER
4 PPB
4 PPB
WHAT rs
SIMAZINE
AND HOW IS IT USED?
WHY is SIMAZINE
BEING REGULATED?
WHAT ARE THE
HEALTH EFFECTS?
Simazine is an organic white solid, used as a pre-emergence herbicide used for
control of broad-leaved and grassy weeds on a variety of deep-rooted crops such
as artichokes, asparagus, berry crops, broad beans, citrus, etc., and on non-crop
areas such as farm ponds and fish hatcheries. Its major use is on corn where it
is often combined with AAtrex. Other herbicides with which simazine is combined
include: paraquat, on apples, peaches; Roundup or Oust for noncrop use; Surflan
on Christmas trees; Dual on corn and ornamentals.
The list of trade names given below may help you find out whether you are using
this chemical at home or work.
In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA
to determine safe levels of chemicals in drinking water which do or may cause
health problems. These non-enforceable levels, based solely on possible health
risks and exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals.
The MCLG for simazine has been set at 4 parts per billion (ppb) because EPA
believes this level of protection would not cause any of the potential health
problems described below.
Based on this MCLG, EPA has set an enforceable standard
called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as
close to the MCLGs as possible, considering the ability of public
water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable
treatment technologies.
The MCL has also been set at 4 ppb because EPA believes,
given present technology and resources, this is the lowest level
to which water systems can reasonably be. required to remove
this contaminant should it occur in drinking water.
These drinking water standards and the regulations for ensur-
ing these standards are met, are called National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations. All public water supplies must abide by these
regulations.
Short-term: EPA has found simazine to potentially cause the
following health effects when people are exposed to it- at levels
TRADE NAMES AND
SYNONYMS:
AKTINIT
BATAZINA
BITE'MOL ,
CAT(HERBICIDE)
CDT
CEKUZINA-S
GEIGY 27,692
GESATOP
HERBAZIN
. HERBEX
HUNGAZIN
PREMAZINE
PRIMATOL S
PRICEP
PRINTOP
RADOCON
SIMADEX
TAFAZINE •
ZEAPUR
October 1995
Consumer Version
Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
above the MCL for relatively short periods of time: weight loss, changes in blood.
Long-term : Simazine has the potential to cause the following effects from a
lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL: tremors; damage to testes, kidneys,
liver and thyroid; gene mutations; cancer.
The amount of simazine used annually in the USA was iated in 1985 to be’
4.8 billion pounds. Simazine may be released into the en’ :. . inment via effluents
at manufacturing sites and at,points of application where it is employed as a
herbicide.
If released to water, simazine will not bind to sediments or evaporate.. It may
leach to ground water. Its persistence varies from a few months to a few years,
depending mainly on the rate of degradation by microbes. Simazine has a low
potential to bioaccumulate in fish.
The regulation for simazine became effective in 1994. Between 1993 and 1995,
EPA required your water supplierto collect water samples every 3 months for one
year and analyze them to find out if simazine s present above 0.07 ppb. If it is
present above this level,.the system must continue to monitor this contaminant.
If cŕntaminant ievels are found to be consistently above the MCL, your water
supplier must take steps ‘ reduce the amount of simazine so that it is consistently
-below that level. The foii: ing treatment methods have been approved by EPA
for removing simazine: ‘1 iular activated charcoal. . -
If the levels of simazin’ exceed the MCL, .4 ppb, the system must notify the.
public via newspapers, radio, TV and other means. Additional actions, such as
providing alternative drinicing water supplies, may be required to prevent serious
risks to public health.
How MUCH SIMAZINE
IS PRODUCED AND
RELEASED TO THE
ENVIRONMENT?
WHATHAPPENS TO
SIMAZINE
WHEN IT IS RELEASED TO
THE ENVIRONMENT?
How wu..i.
SIMAZINE
BE DETECTED IN AND
REMOVED FROM
M DRINKING WATER?
How w ILL! KNOWIF
SIMAZINE ISIN MY
DRINKING WATER?
Learn more about your drinking water!
EPA strongly encourages r eople to learn more
a out their drinking water, and 3 support local efforts
to protect and upgrade the : DpIy of safe drinking
water. Your water bill or tek ne book’s govern-
ment listings are a good sta;. , point.
YoUr state Department of Health/Environment is also a
valuable source of information.
Your local water supplier cangive you a list of the
chemicals they test for in your water, as well as how
your water is treated.
For help in locating these agencies or for information on
drinking water in general, call:
EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426-4791.
For additional information on the uses and releases of
chemicals in your state, contact the:
Community Right-to-Know Hotli ne: (800) 535-0202.
October 1995
Consumer Version
Page 2
------- |