I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4318 
To prohibit the use, production, sale, importation, or exportation of any 
pesticide containing atrazine. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 29, 2012 
Mr. ELLISON (for himself, Mr. KUCINICH, and Mr. MORAN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and 
in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and 
Means, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prohibit the use, production, sale, importation, or 
exportation of any pesticide containing atrazine. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) 
The 
United 
States 
annually 
uses 
60,000,000 to 80,000,000 pounds of atrazine, a 
weed-killing pesticide. 
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(2) The toxicity of atrazine is well documented 
and has shown to have adverse endocrine effects in 
amphibians, mammals, and humans. There is evi-
dence that atrazine exposure is associated with low 
sperm counts and poor motility in exposed adult 
men, and that prebirth atrazine exposure is associ-
ated with small birth weight and abnormal develop-
ment of the gut wall in infants. In laboratory mam-
mals, exposure is associated with abnormal repro-
ductive system development, impaired prostate gland 
formation, and abnormal breast tissue development. 
In aquatic wildlife, exposure is associated with ab-
normal reproductive system development, impaired 
reproduction, and impaired immune system function. 
(3) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
acknowledges that atrazine may have potential ad-
verse effects on fish, such as organ tissue disease, 
disruption to the endocrine and olfactory systems, 
and reduced reproductive function. 
(4) The United States Geological Survey found 
atrazine in approximately 75 percent of stream 
waters and 40 percent of all ground water samples 
from agricultural areas tested. According to data 
from the Environmental Protection Agency Ecologi-
cal Watershed Monitoring Program, the surface 
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water sampled in the Midwestern and Southern 
United States suffers from pervasive atrazine con-
tamination. Sampling of watersheds between 2004 
and 2006 showed that all 40 watersheds tested had 
detectable levels of atrazine and 25 watersheds had 
average concentrations above 1 ppb. While these av-
erage elevated concentrations of atrazine are worri-
some, high peak concentrations may also be dan-
gerous. Nine watersheds had at least one sample 
showing levels above 50 ppb, and four watersheds 
had levels above 100 ppb. 
(5) According to data from the Environmental 
Protection Agency Atrazine Monitoring Program, 
high levels of atrazine are also evident in drinking 
water systems. More than 90 percent of the samples 
taken in 139 water systems had measurable levels of 
atrazine in both 2003 and 2004. Three systems had 
annual averages exceeding 3 ppb. 
(6) In 1991, Germany and Italy banned the use 
of atrazine. In 2003, European regulators an-
nounced a ban on the pesticide throughout the Euro-
pean Union. 
(7) The Department of Agriculture estimates 
that a ban on atrazine would result in crop losses of 
only 1.19 percent and decrease corn acreage by only 
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2.3 percent. Since banning atrazine nearly 20 years 
ago, both Italy and Germany have not experienced 
a reduction of corn productivity or total acreage of 
land in production. 
SEC. 2. ATRAZINE PROHIBITION. 
Notwithstanding any other law, the use, production, 
sale, importation, or exportation of atrazine or an atrazine 
product is prohibited. 
SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT. 
Any person who violates section 2 shall be fined 
under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned not 
more than 2 years, or both. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ATRAZINE.—The term ‘‘atrazine’’ or ‘‘active 
ingredient atrazine’’ refers to the pesticide chemical 
2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-tri-
azine. 
(2) ATRAZINE PRODUCT.—The term ‘‘atrazine 
product’’ means any pesticide containing the active 
ingredient atrazine, as identified on the Environ-
mental Protection Agency registered label, either 
alone or in a combination with other pesticides. 
Æ 
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