United States Office of Pentodes and Toxic Substances
Environmental Protection Offica of Pestiada Programs (TS-766C)
Agency Washington. DC 20460
vvEPA Pesticide
Fact Sheet
Name of Chemical: CADMIUM PESTICIDE COMPOUNDS
Reason for Issuance: SPECIAL REVIEW—PRELIM. DETERM.
Date Issued: SEPTEMBER 1986
Fact Sheet Number: 1Q3
Description of chemicals
Chemical names: cadmium carbonate
cadmium chloride
cadmium sebecate
cadmium succinate
anilinocadmium dilactate
Common names: same as above
Trade names: none
EPA Shaughnessy codes (respectively): 012901, 012902, 012903,
012904, 064601
Chemical abstracts service (CAS) numbers (respectively):
134A, 135, 136A, 136B,
051D
Years of Initial Registration: 1949—1952
Pesticide type: fungicides
Chemical family: cadmium salts
Use patterns and formulations
Application sites: golf course and home lawn turf
Types of formulations: wettable powders, dusts, granulars
Types and methods of application: ground application by
hand held sprayers and boom sprayers
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3. Science Findings
Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Cadmium:
Physical state: solid
Boiling point: 765° C
Melting point: 321° C
Human Toxicology Characteristics:
Acute toxicity: moderate to moderately high (Toxicity
Categories III and II); specific values are
unavailable for each compound since there are no
technical registrations and there are data gaps on
formulated products
acute effects to kidneys are formation of fatty
bodies in the kidneys and degeneration of renal
tubules
Chronic toxicity:
Oncogenic as demonstrated in laboratory animal and
human epidemiological studies:
rat chronic inhalation study——LOEL of 12.5 ug
Cd chloride/m 3 (lowest dose tested) for
lung tumors
rat chronic injection study——3.6% Cd chloride
(lowest concentration tested) caused
testicular and pancreatic islet tumors
epidemiological studies of factory workers
chronically exposed to cadmium oxide and
dust have shown statistically significant
increases in the incidences of lung tumors
Kidney effects of proteinuria, glucosuria, excretion
of amino acids and decreased renal function:
rat drinking water study (24 wks)——NOEL of
10 rng/L (lowest dose tested) for protein—
ur ia
epidemiological study of factory workers
exposed to cadmium oxide and dust (50 yrs)——
LOEL of 2 ug/m 3 for renal tubular protein—
uria
Mutagenic effects from 36 studies on various cadmium
compounds are equivocal; depending on protocol and
end point examined, results vary
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Teratogenic, fetotoxic and reproduction effects
have been shown in laboratory animal studies however,
the data do not support that cadmium would produce
these types of effects in humans
4. Summary of regulatory position and rationale
The Agency initiated a Special Review of cadmium pesticide
compounds in October 1977 based on data indicating that they
may pose risks of oncogenicity, mutagenicity, teratogenicity
and fetotoxicity from their application to golf courses and
home lawns to control turf diseases.
During this time the Agency conducted further evaluations of
toxicology studies of various cadmium compounds. Additionally,
the Agency assessed new applicator exposure data and cadmium
fungicide benefits information.
The Agency concluded that the toxicology data from
laboratory animal and human epidemiological studies demonstrate
a correlation between inhalation exposure to cadmium and an
increased incidence of lung tumors. The Agency has classified
cadmium as a “Bi” or “probable” human carcinogen. Based on the
derived potency value and estimates of applicator exposure, the
estimates of oncogenic risk to applicators are lO to 10—6 from
applications to golf courses and 10—8 from applications to home
lawns.
In regard to mutagenicity, the Agency reassessed the
studies for which the Special Review was initiated and assessed
additional studies that have become available since the initia-
tion. From the results of the many studies, the Agency now
concludes that there are conflicting results which cannot be
readily resolved due to the many protocols and end points that
have been used. Therefore, the Agency believes that the data
no longer support the mutagenicity risk criteria for Special
Review.
Since initiation of the Special Review, the Agency also
reassessed cadmium’s potential as a human teratogen and feto—
toxin. Although data from some studies link cadmium with
teratogenic and fetotoxic effects in laboratory animals, the
Agency now concludes that the composit of data from studies do
not support the risk criteria that cadmium is teratogenic and
fetotoxic in humans.
Additional laboratory animal and human epidemiological
studies that the Agency has reviewed since 1977 demonstrate
that cadmium causes acute and chronic effects to the kidneys,
including fatty body formation, renal tubular degeneration,
proteinuria, glucosuria and amino acid excretion. In comparison
of the lowest effect level for kidney effects with the estimated
applicator exposure the Agency concludes that there are risks
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of applicators developing kidney effects from the use of
cadmium fungicides on golf courses and home lawns. The risk
to golf course applicators is much higher than to home lawn
applicators. Therefore, the Agency has added this hazard
with oncogenicity for the risk criteria for this Special
Review.
The Agency examined the benefits from the uses of cadmium
fungicides on golf courses and home lawns and the availability
of alternate fungicides and their associated hazards. The Agency
concludes that the benefits are low. Use of cadmium fungicides
is very low in annual volume (30,000 ibs) and in percentage
of golf course acreage treated (2 %) as compared to the eleven
alternatives. Use on home lawns is negligible. Some of the
alternatives are as effective and some are more expensive.
Total substitution for cadmium fungicides could annually cost
the golf courses nationwide as much as $240,000 or $500 each.
Some of the alternatives are associated with chronic hazards
while others are not.
The Agency received seven comments from the cadmium regis-
trants during the comment period. These were arguments against
the risk criteria for the initiated Special Review and additional
benefits information. All comments and the benefits information
have been considered and are addressed in the Technical Support
Document.
The Agency has carefully evaluated all the information and
also considered possible measures to reduce exposure and the
risks of oncogenicity and kidney effects. The weight of the
evidence leads the Agency to conlude that the risks to applicators
outweigh the minor benefits and therefore cancellation is the
prudent regulatory action to propose.
This proposed regulatory action along with a request for
comments from the public, USDA and the FIFRA Science Advisory
Panel will be published in the Federal Register in October 1986.
The comment period will be 60 days. After that time the Agency
will evaluate any received comments in consideration of their
impact on the risk and benefit assessments and the proposed
regulatory decision. The Agency will then complete the Special
Review by publishing in the Federal Register a final decision.
5. Contact person at EPA: Valerie Meredith Bael
EPA
Office of Pesticide Programs
Registration Division (TS—767C)
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this Chemical Information
Sheet is for informational purposes only and may not be used
to fulfill data requirements for pesticide registration or
reregistration.
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