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California's Prop 65 and Linuron Public Health Concerns

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 14:40:24 EST

LA Testing provides analytical services to protect the public and help businesses comply with California's Proposition 65.
 
Garden Grove, CA, February 1st, 2012
 
In 1986, California voters approved an initiative to address increasing concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals. That initiative, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is better known by its original name of Proposition 65. 
 
Proposition 65 requires businesses to notify Californians about significant amounts of chemicals in the products they purchase, in their homes or workplaces, or that are released into the environment.  This list includes linuron, an herbicide used to control annual and perennial weeds on crop and non-crop locations.  It was added to the Prop 65 list in 1999.
 
Linuron has been labeled for use in soybean, cotton, potato, corn, bean, pea, winter wheat, asparagus, carrot and fruit crops.  In addition, it is used on crops stored in warehouses. 
 
The herbicide has approximately a dozen different trade names and is often used in conjunction with other herbicides, insecticides and fungicides.  It is classified as a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) which allows its purchase only by certified applicators.
 
'Exposure to linuron can cause irritation to the eyes and skin,' reported Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President, Marketing at LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc., a leading environmental and industrial hygiene testing laboratory.  'Linuron is highly toxic to non-target aquatic organisms and has been classified by the EPA as a possible human carcinogen.  The chemical has been found to be slightly to moderately soluble in water and moderately persistent in soils.  So even after it has been applied it may still present an exposure risk to workers and nearby residents of areas treated with the herbicide.  Testing to identify the presence of linuron can help prevent needless human exposures and damage to the environment,' he continued.
 
LA Testing provides testing services for linuron and other potentially hazardous chemicals.  To learn more about Proposition 65 testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. 
 
About LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc.
LA Testing and EMSL Analytical are providers of environmental testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The companies have an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.