I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5124 
To prohibit the use, production, sale, importation, or exportation of any 
pesticide containing atrazine. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2010 
Mr. ELLISON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and 
Commerce, Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be sub-
sequently 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 to 80 
million pounds of atrazine, a weed killing pesticide. 
(2) The toxicity of atrazine is well documented 
and has shown to have adverse endocrine effects in 
amphibians, mammals, and humans. There is evi-
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dence in humans that atrazine exposure is associated 
with low sperm counts and poor motility in exposed 
adult men, and that pre-birth atrazine exposure is 
associated with small birth weight and abnormal de-
velopment of the gut wall in infants. In laboratory 
mammals, exposure is associated with abnormal re-
productive system development, impaired prostate 
gland formation, and abnormal breast tissue devel-
opment. In aquatic wildlife, exposure is associated 
with abnormal reproductive system development, im-
paired reproduction, and impaired immune system 
function. 
(3) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
acknowledge that atrazine may have potential ad-
verse effects on fish, such as organ tissue disease, 
disruption to endocrine and olfactory systems, and 
reduced reproductive function. 
(4) The United States Geological Survey found 
atrazine in approximately 75 percent of stream wa-
ters and 40 percent of all groundwater samples from 
agricultural areas tested. According to data from the 
Environmental Protection Agency Ecological Water-
shed Monitoring Program, the surface water sam-
pled in the Midwestern and Southern United States 
suffers from pervasive atrazine contamination. Sam-
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pling of watersheds between 2004 and 2006 showed 
that all 40 watersheds tested had detectable levels of 
atrazine and 25 watersheds had average concentra-
tions above 1 ppb. While these average elevated con-
centrations of atrazine are worrisome, high peak 
concentrations may also be dangerous. Nine water-
sheds 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 
2.3 percent. Since banning atrazine nearly 20 years 
ago, both Italy and Germany have not experienced 
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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-ethylamine-6-isopropylamin-1,3,5-triazine. 
(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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