Dacthal (DCPA) Lawsuit

Exposure to Dacthal (DCPA), a pesticide used on crops, golf courses and athletic fields, may cause birth defects and developmental issues in babies whose mothers are exposed to the chemical during pregnancy.

While concerns over the effects of Dacthal exposure on fetal development have existed for two decades, recent EPA actions have heightened those concerns, leading parents and lawyers to consider new Dacthal lawsuits for pesticide injuries.

The EPA’s longstanding requests for safety data from AMVAC and the company’s inadequate responses underscored the pesticide’s potential risks.

Regulators in the United States began requesting comprehensive safety studies from AMVAC on Dacthal’s potential health impacts, including risks to fetal development, in 1999. Ten years later, the European Union banned Dacthal. Another 15 years went by before the EPA ended Dacthal use in the United States in August 2024.

Parents are considering legal action against AMVAC because of mounting evidence that Dacthal exposure can cause birth defects, developmental delays, neurological issues and other serious health problems.

Specifically, Dacthal exposure in pregnant women can significantly disrupt fetal thyroid hormone levels and cause the fetus’s skull to close before the brain has finished developing.

According to the EPA, changes to fetal thyroid hormone levels are linked to low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ and impaired motor skills later in life.

Families are considering Dacthal lawsuits as a way to hold AMVAC accountable for its delay in providing safety data and for not adequately warning of the risks. Families affected by Dacthal exposure may be entitled to compensation through a lawsuit.

If you were exposed to Dacthal during pregnancy, and your baby has suffered health issues, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Exposure can occur from inhaling Dacthal or through skin contact.

The EPA estimates pregnant women who enter or work in areas where Dacthal has been applied have an exposure risk four to 20 times greater than the level considered safe according to the product label use instructions. Pregnant women and their fetuses who live near areas where Dacthal is used may also be at risk of exposure from spray drift from pesticide application.

While farmworkers and post-application workers involved in tasks such as transplanting, weeding and harvesting are especially at risk, people who use golf courses and athletic fields treated with Dacthal may also qualify.

Initial research shows states that have used Dacthal in the past 10 years include Arizona, California, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Affected crops generally include fruits and vegetables.