Pesticide Gateway Index

About the Gateway

Eating with a Conscience

Home

Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management
Read about the Gateway

Pentachlorophenol

General Information

• Beyond Pesticides Wood Preservatives Program Page
• Pentachlorophenol product names
• Chemical Class: Chlorophenol compound
• Uses: restricted use heavy duty wood preservative (fungicide, bactericide, herbicide, molluscicide, algaecide and insecticide) targets Carpenter Ants, Mold, Powderpost Beetles, Termites, Wood Rot/Decaying Fungus, Wood Rot/Decaying Organisms, Wood Stain Fungus
• Alternatives: Wood Preservative
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health Effects

• EPA Acute Toxicity Class: II (moderately toxic)
• Cancer: Probable (15)
• Endocrine Disruption: Probable (5)
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (31)
• Neurotoxicity: Yes (31)
• Kidney/ Liver Damage:Yes (31)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (31)
• Birth/ Developmental Defects: Yes (31)

Environmental Effects

• Detected in Groundwater: Yes (31)
• Detected in Streams: Yes
• Potential Leacher: Yes (31)
• Toxic to Birds: Yes (40)
• Toxic to Fish/ Aquatic Organisms: Yes (31)
• Toxic to Bees: Not documented
• Toxic to Mammals: Not documented
• Long-Range Transport: Not documented

Additional Information

• Regulatory Information:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) signed (9/2008)
  • Beyond Pesticides' Revised Risk Assessment comments (6/2008)
• Supporting information:
  • Wood Preservatives Campaign (Beyond Pesticides)
  • Poison Poles (Beyond Pesticides, 1999)
  • Pole Pollution (Beyond Pesticides, 1997)
  • NCAP Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides)
  • Extoxnet Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (Extension Toxicology Network)
  • PAN Pesticides Database:Pentachlorophenol (Pesticide Action Network)
  • Scorecard Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (The Pollution Information Site)
  • Pentachlorophenol Factsheet (Washington Toxics Coalition)
• Key Studies: