The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) has identified several severe health risks that DCPA poses to fetuses:
- Low Birth Weight: Exposure to DCPA can result in babies being born with lower than average birth weight, which can lead to a range of health complications.
- Impaired Brain Development: Fetuses exposed to DCPA may experience impaired brain development, leading to decreased I.Q. and other cognitive issues.
- Impaired Motor Skills: Exposure to this herbicide can result in impaired motor skills, affecting a child’s ability to perform everyday tasks.
Michal Freedhoff, the E.P.A. assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety, emphasized the urgency of removing DCPA from the market to protect pregnant women and their unborn children: “DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately” (Hiroko Tabuchi, New York Times).
