Classifying Malathion as RUP - HB252 / SB1010

Bill Description

Amends the definition of "restricted use pesticide" to include malathion.

Background

In March of 2022 there was a chemical spill at a private, beachfront residence in Mokuleia which affected about 20 homes. It was a concentrated form of the substance Malathion.

When the concentrated form was accidentally spilled by children, they attempted to clean it up with a hose, washing the chemical towards the storm drain. The dangerous chemical spread throughout the neighborhood. Everyone within a ½ mile could smell something terrible but at this point had no idea what had happened.

The following 24 hours, everyone in the neighborhood searched for the source of the smell. Later in the day, a neighbor called the fire department to assist. They located the source of the smell to be coming from the beachfront property, but no one was home. That night HAZMAT came out to treat the area but the scent was still unbearable for the neighborhood.

The fire department, police, and neighborhood members attempted to assist in the cleanup for days. Even using appropriate personal protection equipment, two people had to go to the ER. Days later, many neighbors experienced severe symptoms and a downwind neighbor had to go to the hospital. In addition, several pets have gone to the veterinarian because of exposure.^[1]

Talking Points

Malathion is an insecticide in the chemical family known as organophosphates. Products containing malathion are used outdoors to control a wide variety of insects in agricultural settings and around people's homes and have been used in public health mosquito control and fruit fly eradication programs.^[2]

Organophosphate insecticides, like malathion, are neurotoxic cholinesterase inhibitors that cause the buildup of acetylcholine (AChE), leading to uncontrolled rapid twitching of some muscles, paralyzed breathing, convulsions, and, in extreme cases, death. They have also been linked to developmental delays, impaired cognitive development, and a host of learning/behavioral problems in young children.42,43 Despite numerous organophosphate poisonings of farmworkers, homeowners, and children, EPA has allowed the continued registration of many of these products.^[3]

This chemical has impacted local communities, is a threat to human and environmental health.^[4] It has been linked to birth defects, a wide range of cancers, and other health problems in humans and non-target wildlife species.^[5] The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has determined that there is "suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity”.^[6]

Malathion is highly toxic to bees and other beneficial insects, animals, some fish, and other aquatic life and humans and is moderately toxic to other fish and birds.^[7]

We request that Malathion and similar concentrated chemicals be moved from "General Use" as they are listed now, to "State Restricted Use" by the Hawaii Department of Health, and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture Pesticides Division.

Malathion should be regulated as a Restricted Use Pesticide on the state level to better protect community members and our environment from this toxic pesticide.

Additional Information

Malathion is known to be highly toxic to aquatic larvae of non-target insects along with a range of mortality for non-target insects and spiders. Malathion is highly toxic to honey bees. Residues on plants and other surfaces indirectly expose bees to malathion, which is also systemically absorbed by plants, translocating throughout the plant and into pollen and nectar, further exposing foraging bees. Bees carrying contaminated pollen back to the hive unwittingly expose the entire colony to malathion residues. Honey bees, pollen, wax and honey have all been found to be contaminated with malathion residues. It has a wide range of toxicities in fish, ranging from very highly toxic in the walleye and the brown trout to moderately toxic in fathead minnows. According to the EPA, there have been numerous fish kills resulting from malathion use followed by heavy rainfall and runoff into aquatic areas such as streams and ponds.^[8]

People who were exposed to enough malathion to become sick felt nauseated or vomited, had muscle tremors, cramps, weakness, shortness of breath, a slowed heart rate, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea.^[9]

In both humans and animals, malathion travels to the liver and kidneys and affects the nervous system. Generally, the body can break down malathion and remove it quickly. Studies in rats showed that most malathion was gone from their bodies within a day of exposure.

“Malathion works by attacking the nervous system; it is essentially a nerve poison. Specifically, it inhibits the action of an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE). AChE works to break down another chemical, acetylcholine, which is essential in transmitting impulses between nerves. Therefore, when malathion is used, AChE becomes unable to break down acetylcholine, which consequently accumulates in nerve cells. This abnormal acetylcholine build-up can cause incoordination, rapid twitching, incoordination, paralysis and death.

Malathion’s toxicity is increased by its break-down products and contaminating chemicals. For instance, as malathion reacts and breaks down within an organism or in sunlight, one of the chemicals released is malaoxon. Malaxon is 40 times more toxic than malathion, and is the primary source of malathion’s toxicity. In addition, there are 11 chemicals that are created in the malathion production process which can often be found in malathion products for purchase. These side chemicals may not only work in concert with malathion to increase its toxicity, but they can inhibit enzymatic systems in the liver that actually function to detoxify some of these extra 11 contaminants.” ^[10]