To date, the EPA has adamantly declined to grant general permission. Nevertheless, American Cyanamid has already positioned Pirate throughout the U.S. cotton belt as the product of choice for armyworms. No one disputes the toxicity of chlorfenapyr. That group laid 30.13 eggs, compared with 50.75 for the control group, and the hatching rate was 48 percent, compared with the control's 65 percent. The final average weight of adults was also lower.
Opposition is legion.
When contacted for this story, many officials from government bodies, such as the Canadian Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture , echoed the sentiment. With Cyanamid's permission, the EPA posted relevant documents on the Internet . Atwood says, however, the EPA provided only those documents supporting its case and left out those supporting the company's. They say wildlife will never ingest or bioaccumulate enough toxin to cause problems if the chemical is used correctly. Comparison to DDT, they maintain, is sensationalistic.