The World Health Organization (“WHO”) has listed 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) – the active ingredient in Dow Chemical’s DOW widely-used herbicide – as a possible ‘cancer causing’ agent.
France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer ("IARC") – the specialized cancer agency of the WHO – said in a statement yesterday that it has evaluated the carcinogenicity of the 2,4-D herbicide along with two other insecticides.
After detailed evaluation, the IARC classified 2,4-D as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The agency noted that, based on in vivo and in vitro studies, there is strong evidence that 2,4-D induces oxidative stress (a mechanism that can operate in humans) and moderate evidence that the herbicide causes immunosuppression. IARC, however, added that epidemiological studies did not find strong or consistent increases in risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) or other cancers associated with 2,4-D exposure.
The IARC findings on 2,4-D follows the agency’s classification of glyphosate – the active ingredient in Monsanto’s MON widely-used Roundup herbicide – as “probably carcinogenic to humans" in March 2015.
Since its introduction around 70 years ago, 2,4-D has been extensively used across the globe to control weeds in agriculture, forestry, and urban and residential settings. It is used by farmers globally to boost crop productivity. According to the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"), the U.S. uses roughly 46 million pounds of 2,4-D annually with around 66% of that used in the agriculture setting.
Dow’s unit Dow AgroSciences, which uses 2,4-D in its Enlist Duo herbicide, has expressed its concerns over IARC’s findings. It said that IARC’s classification is inconsistent with government findings in nearly 100 countries.
Governments in these countries including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France, Japan, Brazil and China, have for decades confirmed the safety of 2,4-D when used according to approved labeling. Dow AgroSciences also noted that the classification of 2,4-D is based on “inadequate evidence” for human carcinogenicity, as referred by IARC in its statement.
The 2,4-D Research Task Force (a joint research venture in which Dow AgroSciences is a member) also said that no regulatory agency in the world considers 2,4-D to be a carcinogen and the IARC listing does not mean that it causes or is even likely to cause cancer in humans.
The EPA approved Dow’s Enlist Duo, a companion herbicide to the Enlist corn and soybean traits, in Oct 2014 after thorough assessment of human health and ecological risks by its scientists of the uses of 2,4-D in Enlist Duo. The evaluation confirmed that the usage met the safety standards for registration and is protective of public, agricultural workers and endangered species. The European Food Safety Authority also concluded last year that 2,4-D is safe if used properly.
Enlist Duo, a proprietary combination of a new choline salt of 2,4-D and glyphosate, is expected to control and help prevent further development of herbicide-resistant weeds. Dow expects the Enlist system to deliver blockbuster market opportunity.
However, the Enlist system has long been criticized by various groups including the Center for Food Safety for potentially causing adverse effects on health and environment. Critics have warned that planting of Enlist corn will lead to a significant rise in use of 2,4-D herbicide, thereby triggering health threats.
Dow is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Better-ranked chemical stocks include LyondellBasell Industries N.V. LYB and Stepan Company SCL with both holding a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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