UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

OFFICE OF 

PREVENTION, PESTICIDES

AND

TOXIC SUBSTANCES

DATE: April 21, 2000

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: 1,4-Bis(bromoacetoxy)-2-butene : Summary of Incident Data and Epidemiological

Information for the Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) Document. PC Code: 035605DP

Bar Code: D265495

FROM: Jonathan Chen, Ph.D. Toxicologist Risk Assessment and Science Support Branch (RASSB)

Antimicrobials Division (7510C)

THROUGH: Winston Dang, Team Leader

Team One

Risk Assessment and Science Support Branch (RASSB)

Antimicrobials Division (7510C)

Allen Vaughan, Team Leader

Team Three

Risk Assessment and Science Support Branch (RASSB)

Antimicrobials Division (7510C)

And

Norm Cook, Chief

Risk Assessment and Science Support Branch (RASSB)

Antimicrobials Division (7510C)

TO: Julie Fairfax, Product Manager, Team #36, 

Regulatory Management Branch II Antimicrobials Division (7510C)

Attached is RASSB’s Summary of Incident Data and Epidemiological Information for 1,4-Bis(bromoacetoxy)-2-

butene (BBAB) for purposes of issuing a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) document for this chemical. 
Page 2 of 2

In order to evaluate the incident report data and epidemiological information associated with health effects associated

with BBAB exposure, the following data bases have been consulted:

1. OPP Incident Data System (IDS) - The Incident Data System of The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP)

of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contains reports of incidents from various sources, including

registrants, other federal and state health and environmental agencies, and individual consumers, submitted

to OPP since 1992. Reports submitted to the Incident Data System represent anecdotal reports or

allegations only, unless otherwise stated. Typically no conclusions can be drawn implicating the pesticide as

a cause of any of the reported health effects. Nevertheless, sometimes with enough cases and/or enough

documentation risk mitigation measures may be suggested.

2. Poison Control Centers (PCCs)- as the result of a data purchase by EPA, OPP received Poison Control

Center data covering the years 1993 through 1996 for all pesticides. Most of the national Poison Control

Centers (PCCs) participate in a national data collection system, the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System,

which obtains data from about 65-70 centers at hospitals and universities. PCCs provide telephone

consultation for individuals and health care providers on suspected poisonings, involving drugs, household

products, pesticides, etc.

3. California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CA-DPR) - California has collected uniform data on

suspected pesticide poisonings since 1982. Physicians are required, by statute, to report to their local health

officer all occurrences of illness suspected of being related to exposure to pesticides. The majority of the

incidents involve workers. Information on exposure (worker activity), type of illness (systemic, eye, skin,

eye/skin and respiratory), likelihood of a causal relationship, and number of days off work and in the hospital

are provided.

4. National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (NPTN) - NPTN is a toll-free information service

supported by OPP. A ranking of the top 200 active ingredients for which telephone calls were received

during calendar years 1984-1991, inclusive has been prepared. The total number of calls was tabulated for

the categories human incidents, animal incidents, calls for information, and others.

5. Literature Published Incidence Report - A literature search is conducted for incidence reports associated

with BBAB exposure-related human health hazards.

The agency has reviewed the IDS, PCC, CA-DPA, and NPTN for reported incident information for 1,4-

Bis(bromoacetoxy)-2-butene (BBAB). No data were reported in any of these databases. No incident reports

or epidemiological information were found in published literature.

cc: Chemical File

Jonathan Chen/RASSB/AD

Winston Dang/RASSB/AD

Allen Vaughan/RASSB/AD