United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4601
EPA 811-F-95-003 f-C
October 1995
National Primary Drinkinq
Water Regulations
Carbofuran
This is a factsheet about a chemical that may be found in some public
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).
DRINKING WATER
STANDARDS:
MCLG: 40 PPB
MCL: 40 PPB
WHAT is
CARBOFURAN
AND HOW IS IT USED?
Carbofuran is a white crystalline solid with a slightly phenolic odor. This broad
spectrum insecticide is sprayed directly onto soil and plants just after emergence
to control beetles, nematodes and rootworm. The greatest use of carbofuran is on
alfalfa and rice, with turf and grapes making up most of the remainder. Earlier uses
were primarily on corn crops.
Carbofuran is allowed for use on only a few U.S. crops, and will soon be banned
from use on corn and sorghum in California.
The list of trade names given below may help you find out whether you are using
this chemical at home or work.
WHY is CARBOFURAN
BEING REGULATED?
WHAT ARE THE
HEALTH EFFECTS?
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 carbofuran has been set at 40 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 40 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 ensuring
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 carbofuran to potentially cause the
following health effects when people are exposed to it at levels
above the MCL for relatively short periods of time: headache,
TRADE NAMES AND
•SYNONYMS:
NIAGARA 10242
FURADAN 4F OR
3G
BRIFUR
• CRISFURAN
CHINUFUR
' CURATERR
YALTOX
PlLLARFURAN
KENOFURAN
October 1995
Consumer Version
Printed on Recycled Paper
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sweating, nausea, diarrhea, chest pains, blurred vision, anxiety and general.
muscular weakness These effects are reversible.
Long-term : Carbofuran has the potential to causethe following health effects
from long-term exposures at levels above the MCL: damage to the nervous and
reproductive systems.
Carbofuran enters surface water as a result of runoff from treated fields and
enters ground water by leaching of treated crops.
EPA’s 1990 National Pesticide Survey did not detect carbofuran levels above
the MCL in rural domestic wells or Community Water System wells. EPA’s
Pesticides in Ground Water Database found very low levels of carbofuran in
ground water between 1971 and 1991.:
• If released to soil or water, carbofuran will be broken down by reactive
chemicals and microbes, particularly in alkaline conditions. Carbofuran may
leach significantly in many soils, as has been seen in the detection of carbofuran’
in sandy aquifers in NY and WI. Leaching may not occur, however, in very high
organic content soils. It is not expected to accumulate in aquatiô organisms.
• The regulation for carbofuran became effective in 1992. Between 1993 ‘and
1995, EPA required your water supplier to collect water samples every 3 months
for, one year and analyze them to find out if carbofuran is present above 0.9 ppb..
If it is present above this level, the system must continue to monitor this
contaminant.
If contaminant levels are found to be consistently above the MCL, your water
supplier must take steps to. reduce the amount of carbofuran so that . it is.
consistently below .that level. The following treatment methods have been’
approved by EPA for remOving carbofuran: Granular activated charcoal.
If the levels of carbofuran exceed the MCL, 40 ppb, the system must notify the
public via newspapers, radio, TV and other means. Additional actions, such as
providing alternative drinking water supplies, may be required to prevent serious
risks to public health.
110W IS cARBOFURAN
RELEASED TO THE
ENVIRONMENT?
WHAT HAPPENS To
CARBOFURAN
WHEN IT IS RELEASED
TO THE ENVIRONMENT?
HOWi ,WLL
CARBOFURAN
BE DETECTED IN AND
REMOVED FROM
Mv DRINKING WATER?.
How Vv7LL IKNOWIF
ARBOFURAN IS IN MY
DRINKING WATER?
Learn more about your drinking wate,r!
EPA strongly encourages people to learn more Your state Department of Health/Environment is also a
about their drinking water, and to support local efforts valuable source of information.
to protect and upgrade the supply of safe drinking’ For help in locating these agencies’ or for information on
water. ‘Your water bill or’ telephone book’s govern- drinking water in general, call:
ment listings are a good starting point. ‘ EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426-4791.
Your local water supplier can give you a list of the
chemicals they test for in your water, as well as how
your water is treated.
For additional information on the uses and releases of
chemicals in your state, contact the:
Community Right-to-Know Hotline: (800) 535 0202.
October 1995
Consumer Version
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