[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 4th 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 6th 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 6th Circuit’s decision, a site not covered by it, or 
both. 

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 6th

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

E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records 

Law and may be disclosed to third parties.