The Haloalkanes and Related Pesticides

In all there have been six published studies of men exposed to DBCP with consistent reduction in sperm count, including some cases of sterility (refs. 24a-f). One of these reported a higher rate of miscarriage in wives of DBCP applicators (ref. 24e). 

Following the hearings, work by Whorton et al. (ref. 24a) showed that reversibility of the azoospermia experienced by exposed workers was probably dose-dependent and a function of individual sensitivity. OSHA then reduced the MAC to 1 ppb (ref. 25). See table on p. 167 of ref. 47 for reproductive effects on males. All registrations of end use products except for use on pineapples in Hawaii have been cancelled (EPA, ref. 103, p. 3). 

Successor to DBCP was the equally suspect ethylene dibromide (EDB), (ref. 26) widely used as a fumigant on fruits and vegetables. Based on the National Cancer Institute s finding of carcinogenicity of EDB the Environmental Defense Fund petitioned for cancellation of EDB registration. The EPA responded with an RPAR notice in December 1977. Three years later (Dec. 1980) the agency announced its preliminary decision to cancel EDB registration for use on stored 

Conducted by the California State Dept, of Industrial Relations, Oct. 1977i Donald Vial, Director. 

1983 In the interim (1981) the compound was used to fumigate citrus in California to control the Mediterranean fruit fly infestation. At stake was the citrus export to Japan, valued at about 100 million (ref. 27). 

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