EPA Grants NRDC’s Petition to Remove Neurotoxin in All Pet Flea Collars
NEW YORK – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is banning all pet flea collars containing the pesticide tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP), a member of the class of organophosphates that damages the developing brains and nervous systems of young children, toddlers and fetuses. The Agency is granting a petition by NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) to cancel the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide (FIFRA) registrations for the six remaining pet collars containing TCVP.
The decision was in response to a federal court ruling in April 2022 that determined EPA’s risk analysis of the toxic pesticide was inaccurate and required revisions.
The following is a reaction from Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, Senior Scientist at NRDC:
“This is a major win for pet-owners and their families. TCVP is a toxic chemical that poses significant health risks to children, and does not belong on our pets and inside of our homes.
“Our thirteen-years of work to protect people and their health from this pesticide has not ended, though. EPA also announced they may revisit this decision in the upcoming months, and we will continue to fight to ensure the safety of our children.
"Other types of TCVP exposures, including residues on food, also pose worrisome health risks, particularly in combination with exposure from pet products. EPA must act swiftly to prohibit other dangerous uses of this toxic pesticide. The health of our families can no longer wait.”
Additional Resources:
● Court Rules EPA Must Revise "Flawed" Analysis of Toxic Chemical TCVP in Pet Flea Collars (April 2022)
● Court Battle: NRDC v. EPA (Tetrachlorvinphos)
● Flea Collar Chemicals Are Poisoning Kids and Pets (June 2021)
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.