{"id":31393,"date":"2022-07-26T00:07:27","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T04:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=31393"},"modified":"2022-07-26T00:14:03","modified_gmt":"2022-07-26T04:14:03","slug":"inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/","title":{"rendered":"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides, July 26, 2022) Secret meetings with industry, the elevation of unqualified individuals to decision-making roles, using an untested scientific approach, failing to conduct a simple literature review, and an overall absence of public transparency. This is how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) conducted its cancer review for the potent fumigant pesticide 1,3-Dichloropropane (1,3-D; brand name: Telone), according to a report from EPA\u2019s Office of Inspector General (OIG)<\/a>. EPA\u2019s actions allowed a product once considered to pose a 1 in 10,000 risk of cancer to Americans to increase exposure by 9,000% (from 7.7 \u03bcg\/m3 to 690 \u03bcg\/m3). \u201cThese departures from established standards during the cancer assessment for 1,3-D undermine the EPA\u2019s credibility, as well as public confidence in and the transparency of the Agency\u2019s scientific approaches, in its efforts to prevent unreasonable impacts on human health,\u201d the OIG report states. Yet, even with the agency\u2019s failings laid out in clear view, EPA\u2019s lackluster response to OIG\u2019s corrective actions in this case add insult to its injurious actions against public health.<\/p>\n

OIG initiated a review of EPA\u2019s cancer assessment for 1,3-D after the submission of multiple complaints. 1,3-D is a highly toxic fumigant used on a variety of crops, but primarily on potatoes, tobacco, strawberries, peanuts, and tomatoes to manage nematode pests in soils. The chemical has increased in use by roughly 40% over the last 20 years, with almost 37 million pounds used on 300,000 acres across the United States each year. EPA first classified 1,3-D as \u201clikely to be carcinogenic to humans\u201d in 1985. The chemical retained that designation until the primary manufacturer, Dow Chemical Company (recently transferred to a subsidiary called Salt Lake Holding LLC), requested EPA conduct the current cancer re-evaluation. EPA review resulted in 1,3-D being downgraded from \u201clikely\u201d to \u201csuggestive evidence of carcinogenicity.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of this new evaluation, a Cancer Assessment Review Committee (CARC) within EPA\u2019s Office of Pesticide Programs is tasked with determining whether to update a chemical\u2019s cancer classification. The process is relatively straightforward, and includes a literature search, statistical analysis, draft review, CARC vote and final posting on the pesticide\u2019s review docket. Yet OIG found a range of serious discrepancies from the start.<\/p>\n

One of the most basic steps \u2013 searching the open scientific literature for relevant studies on the chemical \u2013 was not properly conducted. While EPA searched for \u201c1,3-D\u201d and \u201cTelone,\u201d the full chemical name \u201c1,3-Dichloropropene\u201d was not included, and no one raised a red flag when only eight search results were found. OIG notes that EPA rejected consideration of all eight of these studies, and did not provide a reason, failing to follow its own guidelines. \u201cTherefore, the OPP should have provided the rationale and methodology for excluding each study in 1,3-D\u2019s draft human health risk assessment, but it did not,\u201d the report notes.<\/p>\n

In addition to this basic failing, EPA utilized a novel approach to evaluate 1,3-D\u2019s carcinogenicity. Rather than following a process in place since 1978, EPA utilized an untested scientific approach outside of EPA\u2019s guidance documents. At issue is how to determine the highest exposure that can occur without harming an animal long-term or causing other non-cancer effects. This value allows scientists to determine a pesticide’s carcinogenicity. Rather than the traditional maximum-tolerated-dose approach, EPA utilized an approach called kinetically-derived maximum dose (KMD). This method is so new that without guidance determining how EPA applies the information it analyzes, third parties have no way to independently evaluate EPA\u2019s determinations. OIG notes that even after EPA applied the approach, it has participated in symposiums questioning the value of the KMD and noting its rarity in assessments. Independent scientific literature has a range of assessments on this method, with one recent study including a recommendation<\/a> \u201cto abolish the KMD concept for selecting top doses in toxicity testing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only did EPA apply a novel process to evaluating the carcinogenicity of 1,3-D, OIG interviews with EPA CARC officials reveal that members lacked knowledge on how to implement the KMD approach. \u00a0\u201cSome believed that not all members possessed the appropriate scientific expertise for using and implementing the KMD approach for evaluating the evidence of the carcinogenic potential of 1,3-D,\u201d the report indicates.<\/p>\n

OIG notes that \u201cnovel, precedent-setting, or controversial influential scientific information\u201d by the agency should be subject to external peer-review. The report quotes from EPA\u2019s own guidelines which explain that novel scientific procedures can \u201cundercut the scientific credibility of a risk assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond the nuts and bolts of the opaque process OIG was able to reconstruct, lies the failure of EPA officials to record meetings with chemical\u2019s primary manufacturer. Between 2016 and 2018, as EPA was in the midst of its cancer review for 1,3-D, officials met with Salt Lake Holding LLC\/Dow Agrosciences at least five times. \u201cNo information from these meetings appeared in the pesticide-registration review docket, even though some of these meetings included discussions on the application of KMD for the 1,3-D cancer assessment,\u201d the report reads. EPA claims that its cancer-related meetings were not required to go on the pesticides\u2019 registration review docket because those actions are separate. OIG rejected that argument out of hand, referencing the fact that EPA incorporated the cancer determination into its review documents.<\/p>\n

At the end of its report, OIG made nine recommendations for corrective action by EPA. The agency accepted the recommendation to update the document with past meeting information, and issue guidance to clarify when meetings are reported to the docket. It also agreed to update CARC\u2019s standard operating procedures, take steps to ensure individuals with the appropriate expertise are represented at each CARC meeting, and that the committee is regularly monitored and assessed to ensure it is following internal standards. EPA agreed with OIG over the need to require external peer review of risk assessments using novel approaches that set precedent for future risk assessments.<\/p>\n

EPA also agreed to re-conduct a comprehensive literature search on 1,3-D. Yet the review conducted exemplifies EPA\u2019s attitude both before and after the OIG report. In a corrected memo published the 1,3-D\u2019s docket<\/a>, EPA ascribes the mistake to a \u201ctranscription error.\u201d Despite OIG finding over 100 studies, EPA explains that \u201cno changes were necessary or made to our analysis or conclusion.\u201d Rather than corrective, this response continues the agency\u2019s disdain for independent, peer-reviewed literature in favor of untested, novel approaches influenced by industry without any external peer-review. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The recommendations EPA rejected from OIG bring this disdain into sharp relief. EPA rejected the idea that KMD represented a novel approach, and indicated the information was used merely to \u201cinterpret\u201d tumor findings in mouse carcinogenicity studies. EPA is thus refusing to issue guidance on how to conduct KMD analysis, and instead proposed to link to a non-EPA, third-party website for guidance. \u00a0OIG rejected this proposal and considers its recommendation for EPA to issue its own guidance unresolved.<\/p>\n

EPA also rejected OIG\u2019s recommendation to conduct an external peer review of the 1,3-D cancer risk assessment. The agency’s reasoning? That \u201cthe external peer review sponsored by the registrant meets the intent of the recommendation to conduct an external peer review.\u201d In other words, EPA is indicating that the review conducted by Dow Agrosciences for chemical they intend to sell for profit is an acceptable form of peer-review. OIG\u2019s response is as follows: \u201cWhile the registrant-sponsored peer review appears to have many similarities to a peer review that would be conducted by the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel, it lacks specific elements\u2014such as independence from the regulated business, a preparatory public meeting to consider the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions for the peer review, an opportunity for written public comments to be considered by the peer review, and public participation for oral comments during the peer review meeting. These elements are needed to improve the transparency and scientific credibility of the 1,3-D cancer-assessment process. Thus, Recommendation 8 is unresolved.\u201d<\/p>\n

EPA\u2019s response to being caught playing fast and loose with a highly carcinogenic chemical shows that no lessons are being learned. Advocates are fed up with EPA\u2019s behavior, as it perverts its mission to comply with as little as possible to protect public health while continuing to satisfy industry stakeholders and their executive compensation. \u201cThese are not honest mistakes but carry the earmarks of deliberate malfeasance,\u201d stated Tim Whitehouse, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and a former EPA enforcement attorney, noting that this fits a pattern of industry manipulation of EPA\u2019s chemical regulation process. \u201cThis example of misconduct is egregious but, unfortunately, is not isolated.\u201d PEER and other advocates raised the alarm about 1,3-D, and were joined in their concern by eight Attorney\u2019s General,<\/a> which urged EPA to revise its health risk assessment for 1,3-D.<\/p>\n

For those that may consider this issue outside of their concern, note that a recent study focusing on the Western United States determined fumigant pesticides to be the class of chemicals most closely linked to county-level cancer rates<\/a>. Regarding the cancer connection to fumigant use, study co-author Naveen Joseph, PhD, University of Idaho noted, \u201cWe have not seen it expressed in a fumigant like this before, and it\u2019s absolutely striking.\u201d<\/p>\n

EPA was recently cited by a federal judge for its dangerously inept cancer review of glyphosate, holding that EPA unlawfully concluded that glyphosate does not pose a cancer risk. The court criticized EPA for its \u201cdisregard of tumor results;\u201d its use of \u201cbare assertions\u201d that \u201cfail[] to account coherently for the evidence;\u201d making conclusions that do not \u201cwithstand[] scrutiny under the agency\u2019s own framework,\u201d and \u201cfail[ing] to abide by\u201d its own cancer guidelines. In sum the court noted EPA\u2019s \u201cinconsistent reasoning\u201d made its decision on cancer \u201carbitrary,\u201d and struck it down. The agency has a long history, such as with the synthetic pyrethroids, of uncritically accepting industry-created health models over those time-tested by peer-reviewed science<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s time for meaningful change to our federal pesticide laws. While EPA continues to function as protective agency in many other areas, advocates say the agency is not just failing, but antagonistic to its mission to protect public health and the environment from toxic pesticides. To remedy this, industry influence within the Office of Pesticide Programs must be rooted out and cleaned up. Only through pressure to our public officials can this occur. Take action today to tell your Senators to support needed reforms to EPA through the Protect America\u2019s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act<\/a> and Saving America\u2019s Pollinators Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.<\/em><\/p>\n

Source: EPA OIG<\/a>, PEER press release<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides, July 26, 2022) Secret meetings with industry, the elevation of unqualified individuals to decision-making roles, using an untested scientific approach, failing to conduct a simple literature review, and an overall absence of public transparency. This is how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) conducted its cancer review for the potent fumigant pesticide 1,3-Dichloropropane (1,3-D; brand name: Telone), according to a report from EPA\u2019s Office of Inspector General (OIG). EPA\u2019s actions allowed a product once considered to pose a 1 in 10,000 risk of cancer to Americans to increase exposure by 9,000% (from 7.7 \u03bcg\/m3 to 690 \u03bcg\/m3). \u201cThese departures from established standards during the cancer assessment for 1,3-D undermine the EPA\u2019s credibility, as well as public confidence in and the transparency of the Agency\u2019s scientific approaches, in its efforts to prevent unreasonable impacts on human health,\u201d the OIG report states. Yet, even with the agency\u2019s failings laid out in clear view, EPA\u2019s lackluster response to OIG\u2019s corrective actions in this case add insult to its injurious actions against public health. OIG initiated a review of EPA\u2019s cancer assessment for 1,3-D after the submission of multiple complaints. 1,3-D is a highly toxic fumigant used on a variety of crops, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31081,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[249,196,65,354,41,62,573,572,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-cancer","category-dow","category-environmental-protection-agency-epa","category-glyphosate","category-litigation","category-office-of-inspector-general","category-telone","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nInspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"(Beyond Pesticides, July 26, 2022) Secret meetings with industry, the elevation of unqualified individuals to decision-making roles, using an untested scientific approach, failing to conduct a simple literature review, and an overall absence of public transparency. This is how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) conducted its cancer review for the potent fumigant pesticide 1,3-Dichloropropane (1,3-D; brand name: Telone), according to a report from EPA\u2019s Office of Inspector General (OIG). EPA\u2019s actions allowed a product once considered to pose a 1 in 10,000 risk of cancer to Americans to increase exposure by 9,000% (from 7.7 \u03bcg\/m3 to 690 \u03bcg\/m3). \u201cThese departures from established standards during the cancer assessment for 1,3-D undermine the EPA\u2019s credibility, as well as public confidence in and the transparency of the Agency\u2019s scientific approaches, in its efforts to prevent unreasonable impacts on human health,\u201d the OIG report states. Yet, even with the agency\u2019s failings laid out in clear view, EPA\u2019s lackluster response to OIG\u2019s corrective actions in this case add insult to its injurious actions against public health. OIG initiated a review of EPA\u2019s cancer assessment for 1,3-D after the submission of multiple complaints. 1,3-D is a highly toxic fumigant used on a variety of crops, […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-07-26T04:07:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-07-26T04:14:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Beyond Pesticides\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ByondPesticides\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ByondPesticides\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Beyond Pesticides\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4\"},\"headline\":\"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-26T04:07:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-07-26T04:14:03+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/\"},\"wordCount\":1796,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Agriculture\",\"Cancer\",\"Dow Chemical\",\"Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)\",\"Glyphosate\",\"Litigation\",\"Office of Inspector General\",\"Telone\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/\",\"name\":\"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-26T04:07:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-07-26T04:14:03+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/\",\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\",\"description\":\"News on Pesticide Science, Policy and Activism\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":2501,\"caption\":\"Beyond Pesticides\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/?hl=en\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4\",\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Beyond Pesticides\"},\"description\":\"Beyond Pesticides is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides. The founders, who established Beyond Pesticides (originally as National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides) as a nonprofit membership organization in 1981, felt that without the existence of such an organized, national network, local, state and national pesticide policy would become, under chemical industry pressure, increasingly unresponsive to public health and environmental concerns. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions that affect them directly. We believe decisions should not be made for us by chemical companies or by decision-makers who either do not have all of the facts or refuse to consider them. Learn more about our work, read A Year in Review\u20142021, our accomplishments are your victories! Beyond Pesticides seeks to protect healthy air, water, land, and food for ourselves and future generations. By forging ties with governments, nonprofits, and people who rely on these natural resources, we reduce the need for unnecessary pesticide use and protect public health and the environment. Beyond Pesticides provides hands-on services to the public and supports local action by: identifying and interpreting hazards; and, designing safe pest management programs. With the information provided by Beyond Pesticides, people may not only be able to make informed choices and adopt practices that protect themselves and their families from unnecessary exposure to pesticides, but they will be able to effect changes on community-wide pest management decisions and policies that govern pesticide use, such as pesticide uses in parks, schools, for community insect control and along roadsides. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions which affect them directly.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.beyondpesticides.org\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/author\/beyond-pesticides\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","og_description":"(Beyond Pesticides, July 26, 2022) Secret meetings with industry, the elevation of unqualified individuals to decision-making roles, using an untested scientific approach, failing to conduct a simple literature review, and an overall absence of public transparency. This is how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) conducted its cancer review for the potent fumigant pesticide 1,3-Dichloropropane (1,3-D; brand name: Telone), according to a report from EPA\u2019s Office of Inspector General (OIG). EPA\u2019s actions allowed a product once considered to pose a 1 in 10,000 risk of cancer to Americans to increase exposure by 9,000% (from 7.7 \u03bcg\/m3 to 690 \u03bcg\/m3). \u201cThese departures from established standards during the cancer assessment for 1,3-D undermine the EPA\u2019s credibility, as well as public confidence in and the transparency of the Agency\u2019s scientific approaches, in its efforts to prevent unreasonable impacts on human health,\u201d the OIG report states. Yet, even with the agency\u2019s failings laid out in clear view, EPA\u2019s lackluster response to OIG\u2019s corrective actions in this case add insult to its injurious actions against public health. OIG initiated a review of EPA\u2019s cancer assessment for 1,3-D after the submission of multiple complaints. 1,3-D is a highly toxic fumigant used on a variety of crops, […]","og_url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/","og_site_name":"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/","article_published_time":"2022-07-26T04:07:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-07-26T04:14:03+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Beyond Pesticides","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ByondPesticides","twitter_site":"@ByondPesticides","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Beyond Pesticides","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/"},"author":{"name":"Beyond Pesticides","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4"},"headline":"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant","datePublished":"2022-07-26T04:07:27+00:00","dateModified":"2022-07-26T04:14:03+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/"},"wordCount":1796,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg","articleSection":["Agriculture","Cancer","Dow Chemical","Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)","Glyphosate","Litigation","Office of Inspector General","Telone"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/","name":"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg","datePublished":"2022-07-26T04:07:27+00:00","dateModified":"2022-07-26T04:14:03+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/corruption.EPA_.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2022\/07\/inspector-general-report-epa-engaged-in-secret-industry-meetings-and-used-untested-science-prior-to-lowering-cancer-risk-for-dangerous-fumigant\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Inspector General Finds Secret EPA Meetings with Industry and Use of Untested Science to Lower Cancer Risk for Dangerous Fumigant"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/","name":"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","description":"News on Pesticide Science, Policy and Activism","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization","name":"Beyond Pesticides","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":2501,"caption":"Beyond Pesticides"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides","https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/?hl=en","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4","name":"Beyond Pesticides","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Beyond Pesticides"},"description":"Beyond Pesticides is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides. The founders, who established Beyond Pesticides (originally as National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides) as a nonprofit membership organization in 1981, felt that without the existence of such an organized, national network, local, state and national pesticide policy would become, under chemical industry pressure, increasingly unresponsive to public health and environmental concerns. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions that affect them directly. We believe decisions should not be made for us by chemical companies or by decision-makers who either do not have all of the facts or refuse to consider them. Learn more about our work, read A Year in Review\u20142021, our accomplishments are your victories! Beyond Pesticides seeks to protect healthy air, water, land, and food for ourselves and future generations. By forging ties with governments, nonprofits, and people who rely on these natural resources, we reduce the need for unnecessary pesticide use and protect public health and the environment. Beyond Pesticides provides hands-on services to the public and supports local action by: identifying and interpreting hazards; and, designing safe pest management programs. With the information provided by Beyond Pesticides, people may not only be able to make informed choices and adopt practices that protect themselves and their families from unnecessary exposure to pesticides, but they will be able to effect changes on community-wide pest management decisions and policies that govern pesticide use, such as pesticide uses in parks, schools, for community insect control and along roadsides. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions which affect them directly.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.beyondpesticides.org","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp\/"],"url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/author\/beyond-pesticides\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31393"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31393\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31399,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31393\/revisions\/31399"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}