Safe Use of Weed Control Products

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for regulating the sale, distribution, and use of herbicides in the United States to ensure minimal risk to human health and the environment.

The EPA evaluates the safety and effectiveness of each herbicide, ensuring it poses minimal risk to humans and the environment before approving it for specific uses.

The EPA considers the combined risk of exposure to a specific herbicide from all sources, such as food, water, and residential areas.

The EPA assesses the cumulative risk of herbicides, considering their shared toxic effects and potential for interactions.

The EPA implements additional safety measures to protect infants and children, who are more sensitive to herbicides.

The EPA has the authority to suspend or cancel the registration of an herbicide if new information suggests it poses a greater risk than previously assessed.

The EPA regulates the use of herbicides in or on food products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

Herbicides are stringently regulated in the US under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to minimize risks to human health and the environment.

Weed control products mimic the natural plant hormone auxin, disrupting normal plant growth processes.

The active ingredient in weed control products binds to auxin receptors, triggering uncontrolled cell growth in plants.

Weed control products are absorbed through the leaves of plants and then translocated, or moved, throughout the plant.

The effects of weed control products include stem curling, leaf withering, and eventual plant death.

Federal law requires extensive evaluation of herbicides to ensure safety for humans and the environment.

Weed control products have been studied, and even the highest observed exposures have been below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for humans.

The risk of any substance depends on its toxicity and the amount of exposure.

Weed control products have been found to have extremely low toxicological concern regarding inhalation and odor.

The EPA will ensure with reasonable certainty that no harm will result from the legal uses of the herbicide before it is approved for use. This means the herbicide will be rigorously tested to minimize possible risks.

The EPA considers all sources of herbicide exposure, including food, water, and residential areas, to determine the overall risk to humans.

The EPA assesses the combined effects of multiple herbicides, recognizing that their toxicity can add up.

The EPA has the authority to suspend or cancel the registration of a herbicide if new information reveals a greater risk than previously assessed.

Weed control products are diluted with water when used on lawns, making them safer than the concentrated forms found in stores.