The Turf Pesticides

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The Turf Pesticides Cancer Risk
Database
Providing cancer risk information for turf lawn
care professionals in New York State and beyond
Heather Clark, Ph.D. and Suzanne Snedeker,
Ph.D. 2007 North American Pesticide Applicator
Certification and Safety Education Workshop,
Portland, ME August 23, 2007
Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk
Factors (BCERF) Sprecher Institute for
Comparative Cancer Research
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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
  Medicines 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.

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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

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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

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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

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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 information for Active
Ingredients in NYS turf and lawn pesticide
products
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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

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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

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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

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US EPA Cancer Risk Classification Systems

• 2005 Carcinogenic to humans
• Likely to be carcinogenic to humans
• Suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential
• Inadequate information to assess carcinogenic
  potential
• Not likely to be carcinogenic to humans
• Multiple descriptors
• 1999 Carcinogenic to humans
• Likely to be carcinogenic to humans
• Suggestive evidence but not sufficient to
  assess human carcinogenic potential
• Data inadequate for assessment of human
  carcinogenic potential
• Not likely to be carcinogenic to humans
• 1996 Known/likely
• Cannot be determined
• Not likely
• 1986 Group A Human carcinogen
• Group B1 Probable human carcinogen (human studies
  data)

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Searching the database By product name
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Searching the database By active ingredient
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Searching the database By cancer risk category
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Product search results
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Product details
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Active ingredient risk information
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Cancer risk information
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What we can learn about currently registered turf
products in NYS
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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

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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

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Acknowledgements

• BCERF Turf Database team
• Heather Clark, Ellen Hartman Suzanne Snedeker
• Sean Gardner, computer consultant
• Devi 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

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Acknowledgements

• Funding 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.

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Questions and comments are welcome!

• Heather Clark
• hac4_at_cornell.edu
• 607-255-5940
• http//envirocancer.cornell.edu/turf