### [waterpests] Request for Pesticides Monitoring Data

Wade, Henry F t

o

: Jordan Page 02/09/2010 05:27 PM

Cc: "Bruss, Bob"

From: "Wade, Henry F" <Henry.Wade@ncagr.gov>

To: Jordan Page/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

Cc: "Bruss, Bob" <Bob.Bruss@ncagr.gov>

Jordan, The North Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has been collaborating with the USGS North Carolina office and other scientists to gather info of suspected and known endocrine disruptors and other chemicals to determine the focus of research in NC. The 2 attached documents contain pesticide data on surface water samples from 8 ambient monitoring sites in NC that were collected from 2000 through 2008. We believe this data is relevant to your request and will provide information on the detection frequency and maximum concentrations of pesticides and degradates in NC.

The following sections address the summary information that Jack Faulk requested in his

Feb 4 th email sent to Waterpests Mailing List, with subject, [waterpests] Request for Pesticides Monitoring Data:

Purpose of the sampling To determine if 83 screened pesticides and degradates are detectable in ambient surface water monitoring at several sites.

Timeframe of sampling Samples were collected from 01 / 01 / 2000 through 07 / 21 / 2008.

How the sampling relates to the timing of pesticide applications
This is unknown.

Any assessment of the frequency of detections and the detections above water quality standards or benchmarks The specific pesticides detected that would be used at sites identified in the 6 th Circuit’s decision are hexazinone, malathion, and simazine. The greatest frequency of detection was
simazine at around 90%. Hexazinone was at about 5% and malathion at around 4%. Malathion was the only one of the 3 chemicals to exceed a benchmark. The maximum detection was 0.049 μg / L, which exceeded the OPP fish chronic benchmark of 0.014 μg / L and the OPP invertebrates acute benchmark of 0.005 μg / L. We do not know at what level in water these pesticides are considered chemical waste.

Identification of sources of pesticides in water This is unknown. Malathion is labeled for use to control mosquitoes, insect control in food and feed crops, and home and garden sites. Simazine is labeled for use in corn, turfgrass, fruit trees, ornamentals, ornamental fountains and ponds, and non-cropland. Hexazinone is labeled for use in forestry, Christmas trees, industrial sites, non-crop areas, food and feed crops. With these three pesticide chemicals, you can see that the source could have been from an application site covered by the 6 th Circuit’s decision, a site not covered by it, orboth.

Results summary The data shows that most of these detections are chemicals that are used mostly in agricultural or industrial sites. The top 3 pesticides in detection frequency were prometon (non-cropland sites), simazine (corn, turfgrass, fruit trees, ornamentals, ornamental fountains and ponds, and non-cropland) and atrazine (corn, sorghum, turfgrass). There were only 3 pesticides that were detected at a level of at least 1 μg / L, simazine (2.23), pendimethalin (1.37), and atrazine (1.3). Pendimethalin is used on turfgrass, ornamentals, corn, cotton, peanut, soybean, tobacco, and vegetables. Simazine, malathion, and hexazinone, listed in the attached file, USGS-NCDA Pesticides in surface waters2000-2008.xls, that contains only the detected chemicals, are probably the only detected chemicals in this USGS monitoring that would be used in sites affected by the 6 th Circuit Court’s decision. Malathion was the only one of the 3 chemicals to exceed a benchmark. None of these pesticides has a numeric chemical waste standard. Also, you will note that there are chemicals in this table that do not have numeric NC aquatic life criteria or EPA OPP benchmarks as indicated with question marks. The chemicals that were not detected in any of the samples are listed on page 3 of the attached file, USGS NC surface water data 2000-2008.pdf. These data indicate that very few criteria or benchmarks were
exceeded.

Investigation of adverse effects complaints following aquatic pesticide applications Since 2004, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services received only 3 complaints that dealt with fish kills following copper herbicide applications within the
water bodies. One case was a misuse due to a label violation that could have caused a fish kill. The violation occurred when the applicator applied a herbicide to the entire pond at one time instead of treating no more than 50% of the pond at a time. This can cause the oxygen levels to become significantly low, resulting in a fish kill. The Department took regulatory action in the case by issuing a Notice of Warning letter to the applicator.

In the second case, the complainant said people had occasionally seen 1 or 2 dead fish at a time. The applicator said that he made spot herbicide applications to 38 acres of a lake 90 acres in size. Inspector saw 3 dead fish. One was an adult skeleton and the other 2 were 2-inch long fish. No label or other types of violations were determined from the investigation.

In the third case, the complainant said all fish died in a 1.13 acre pond 5 days after an herbicide application. Inspector went to the site more than 5 weeks after the observation by the complainant. No label or other types of violations were determined from the investigation.

In summary We have been and will continue to investigate any complaints we receive concerning adverse effects to the environment. If we can document that a violation of pesticide laws and regulations has occurred, we will take regulatory action against the violators.

We have been and will continue to search USGS data to determine if there are pesticides that need closer observation and make recommendations to USGS.

Once you have reviewed this information, please contact us regarding any questions you have. Thanks for the opportunity to provide information to EPA.Henry

Henry Wade, PhD Environmental Programs Manager Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division North Carolina Dept. of Agric. & Consumer Services 1090 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1090
919-733-3556 ext. 288 Henry

. Wade @ ncagr

. gov

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