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TheThe Turf Pesticides Turf Pesticides & Cancer Risk & Cancer Risk DatabaseDatabase
Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors (BCERF)Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research
Heather Clark, Ph.D. and Suzanne Snedeker, Ph.D.Heather Clark, Ph.D. and Suzanne Snedeker, Ph.D.
2007 North American Pesticide Applicator Certification and 2007 North American Pesticide Applicator Certification and Safety Education Workshop, Portland, MESafety Education Workshop, Portland, ME
August 23, 2007August 23, 2007
ProvidingProvidingcancer risk informationcancer risk informationfor turf & lawn care for turf & lawn care professionalsprofessionalsin New York Statein New York Stateand beyondand beyond
About BCERF http://envirocancer.cornell.edu Program on
Breast Cancer & Environmental Risk Factors– Founded in 1996 to assess and address the role
environmental risk factors play in the risk of breast cancer and other cancers
– Is committed to providing accessible, science-based information for sound decision making to lower the risk of cancer
We are a part of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research– The mission of the Institute includes integration of research,
surveillance, prevention, and outreach programs to control cancer in all species.
Turf pesticides & cancer risk at BCERF Research
– Risk Communication Research on risk perceptions of NYS turf pesticide applicators
– Critical Evaluations on cancer risk of pesticides Outreach
– Fact sheets on understanding cancer risk– Fact sheets on cancer risk of pesticides– Trade journal articles (e.g. for American Nurseryman)– Newsletter articles on the latest research– Web Features on the Agriculture Health Study– Databases on chemicals and cancer risk– Coming soon “Making Choices” web pages
Why a cancer risk database?
Provide access to cancer risk information:– Chronic health effect information (such as cancer risk) is not
required on pesticide labeling
– EPA “Chemicals Evaluated for Carcinogenic Potential” has not been available online since 1999
Aid decision making and communication:– The Turf Pesticides & Cancer Risk Database adds cancer
risk information to the IPM toolbox
– Provides a basis for a more informal discussion of cancer risks posed by turf & lawn care pesticides
Why turf & lawn?
Turf and lawn care in NYS– 3.4 million acres of turf and lawn
– Over 9,000 certified turf and lawn care applicators
Turf & lawn is a starting place Potential for exposure exists for homeowners,
applicators, children, and pets Lawn care professionals are risk
communicators and decision makers who need reliable, accessible information
What makes up the database?
US EPA List of Chemicals
Evaluated for Carcinogenic
Potential(2006)
New York State Pesticide Product,
Ingredient & Manufacturer
System(PIMS)
Turf Pesticides & Cancer Risk Database
US EPA cancer risk informationfor Active Ingredients in
NYS turf and lawn pesticide products
Database & website features
US EPA cancer risk classifications for:– 111 pesticide active ingredients found in:– 2,803 turf-use products (New York State)
• Registered• Registered, but discontinued• No longer registered
Database & website features
Detailed product & cancer risk information Downloadable EPA risk decision documents
– REDs, IREDs, TREDs, RED Fact sheets Answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” Interpretive tools Extensive glossary
Database & website features
Dynamic search capabilities– by product information
• EPA registration number• Product name• Type of pesticide or formulation type
– by active ingredient or CAS number– by EPA cancer risk category
US EPA Cancer Risk Classification Systems
2005: Carcinogenic to humansLikely to be carcinogenic to humansSuggestive evidence of carcinogenic potentialInadequate information to assess carcinogenic potentialNot likely to be carcinogenic to humansMultiple descriptors
1999: Carcinogenic to humansLikely to be carcinogenic to humansSuggestive evidence but not sufficient to assess human carcinogenic
potentialData inadequate for assessment of human carcinogenic potentialNot likely to be carcinogenic to humans
1996: Known/likelyCannot be determinedNot likely
1986: Group A Human carcinogenGroup B1 Probable human carcinogen (human studies data)
Group B2 Probable human carcinogen (animal studies only)Group C Possible human carcinogenGroup D Not classifiable as to human carcinogenicityGroup E Evidence of non-carcinogenicity
Searching the database: By product name
Searching the database: By active ingredient
Searching the database: By cancer risk category
Product search results
Product details
Active ingredient risk information
Cancer risk information
What we can learn about currently registered turf products in NYS
US EPA Cancer Risk Classification
Total A.I.s in turf products
Total number of turf/lawn products
Known human carcinogen 0 0
Probable or Likely human carcinogen
14 175
Possible or Suggested human carcinogen
18 489
Data are inadequate 11 223
Not likely to be human carcinogen 37 301
Time lineTurf Pesticide & Cancer Risk Database Phase I:
– Original database development 2004-2005
– Usability testing Spring 2006
Phase II:– Major revisions based on user testing
– Completed Summer 2006
– Launched to World Wide Web Sept. 2006
Phase III:– Further updates and expansion Fall 2006
– Publicity campaign January 2007
– Presentation at regional and national meetings 2006-07
– Online user survey Jan. 2007 - August 2007
– Distribution of instructional CD for pesticide safety educators
Next steps
Actively soliciting input from educators and applicators
Prioritize needed improvements Seeking funding for expansion of database
model to additional pesticide use categories in NYS, such as:– Greenhouses, florists
– Structural: termites, rodents
– Rights-of-way: poles, vegetation
Acknowledgements BCERF Turf Database team
Heather Clark, Ellen Hartman & Suzanne SnedekerSean Gardner, computer consultantDevi Chandrasekaran, Chloe Ota & Melissa Sherwin
Cornell Pesticide Sales and Use Reporting Project (PSUR) Bill Smith, Robert Warfield & Fion Lee
Cornell Vet Med Info Technology (VMIT) Penny Ciccone, Mary Stauble, Mari Stewart &
Phyllis Highland
AcknowledgementsFunding provided by:
New York State Dept. of Health
New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
Any opinion, findings, conclusions or recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the US Department of Agriculture or the NYS DOH or DEC.
Questions and comments are welcome!
Heather Clark
607-255-5940
http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/turf
