Reregistration Status of Cancer-Causing Pesticides

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the reregistration status of cancer-causing pesticides, focusing on the 10 pesticides identified in the National Research Council's 1987 report as posing the highest dietary carcinogenic risk. GAO noted that: (1) 3 of the 10 pesticides have been voluntarily cancelled prior to the reregistration process; (2) of the 7 remaining pesticides pending reregistration, 3 have had some of their food crop uses cancelled; (3) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing or awaiting various studies on 5 of the 7 pesticides; and (4) EPA expects to issue reregistration eligibility documents for 4 of the 7 pesticides by 1997, but it has not established issuance dates for the remaining 3 pesticides.