METHYL PARATHION: EPA'S CHALLENGE: Seeking to protect legal use as well as prevent misuse, agency convinces manufacturer to alter product

In the past few months, state and federal officials have begun to take strong action to correct what they call "the worst case of pesticide misuse in U.S. history." So far, in Mississippi and neighboring states, officials have identified about 2,700 houses that have been sprayed with methyl parathion for cockroach control (C&EN, Dec. 16, 1996, page 28). About 330 families have been temporarily relocated until their houses can be decontaminated. Decontamination of structures that have to be evacuated will cost around $50 million, says Hagan Thompson, a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency. This will be paid for out of Superftind money. Methyl parathion is an extremely toxic, restricted insecticide that is banned for indoor use. Outdoors, it is a powerful—and relatively safe—agricultural tool. So the challenge for state and federal officials is to prevent indoor misuse while preserving legitimate agricultural uses. Experts disagree about the breadth of the problem of pesticide misuse indoors. ...