Chlordane human health protection

Past chlordane use, coupled with atmospheric transport as the major route of dissemination, produced global contamination of fish and wildlife resources and human populations. The chemical and its metabolites were frequently detected in all species examined, but usually at low concentrations. Residues in fish muscle sometimes exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration action level of 0.3 mg/kg fresh weight recommended for human health protection. In general, chlordane in animals is highest near areas where the chemical has been applied to control termites concentrations are highest in fat and liver, especially in predatory species. 

Chlordane criteria for protection of marine life (0.004 pg/L, 24-h mean not to exceed 0.09 pg/L) appear satisfactory. Proposed criteria for freshwater life protection (0.0043 pg/L, 24-h mean not to exceed 2.4 pg/L), however, overlap the range of 0.2 to 3.0 pg/L shown to adversely affect certain fish and aquatic invertebrates, suggesting that some downward modification in the maximum permissible level is needed. Chlordane criteria for protection of birds and mammals are inadequate because the database is incomplete. Until these data become available, a reasonable substitute is the criteria proposed for human health protection — namely, daily intake not to exceed 0.001 mg chlordane per kilogram body weight, and diet not to exceed 0.3 mg chlordane per kilogram fresh weight. 

Proposed chlordane criteria for protection of natural resources and human health... 

Table 13.6 Proposed Chlordane Criteria for Protection of Natural Resources and Human Health...

The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty committing the international community to protecting human health and the environment from the potentially harmful effects of POPs (UNEP Chemicals, 2005). The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has identified 12 most toxic POPs (the Dirty Dozen ) for control under the Convention, including 10 intentionally produced POPs pesticides/industrial chemicals (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), mirex, toxaphene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) and two unintentionally produced POPs by-products (polychlorinated dibenzo-/ -dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs)). In implementing the Convention, Parties to the Convention will take measures to restrict the trade, production and use of the intentional POPs and to reduce and, where possible, to ultimately eliminate the production and release of the unintentional POPs by-products. 

In 1997, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council decided that immediate international action should be taken to protect human health and the environment. International negotiations to reduce and eliminate the emission and discharges of an initial set of 12 POPs were initiated at the Stockholm Convention on POPs in May 2001. The 12 substances that were addressed at the Stockholm Convention were aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, dichlorodiphenyltrichoroethanes (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), chlordane, toxaphene, heptachlor, hex-achlorobenzene (HCB) and mirex. Basic information and status of major organochlorine pesticides in China are summarized in Table 8.1. 

This Statement was prepared to give you information about chlordane and to emphasize the human health effects that may result from exposure to it. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 1,350 hazardous waste sites as the most serious in the nation. These sites comprise the "National Priorities List" (NPL) Those sites which are targeted for long-term federal cleanup activities. Chlordane has been found in at least 176 of the sites on the NPL. However, the number of NPL sites evaluated for chlordane is not known. As EPA evaluates more sites, the number of sites at which chlordane is found may increase. This information is important because exposure to chlordane may cause harmful health effects and because these sites are potential or actual sources of human exposure to chlordane. 

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