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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Baygon (Propoxur) is a baygon is an insecticide used for mosquitoes in outdoor areas, and for other insects on lawns, flowers, pets and livestock as well as in homes and public buildings.. Potential health impacts associated with Baygon (Propoxur) include cancer, cardiovascular or blood toxicity, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity.

Sources of Baygon (Propoxur):

	Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)
	Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Baygon (Propoxur) tests reported by 721 public water suppliers in 5 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 12 thousand people in 3 communities drank water contaminated with Baygon (Propoxur). Baygon (Propoxur) remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

12,069 People drinking water contaminated with Baygon (Propoxur) 3 Communities served water contaminated with Baygon (Propoxur)

Table. Baygon (Propoxur) Exposure by State

12 thousand Americans in 2 states were served tap water contaminated with Baygon (Propoxur) between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Baygon (Propoxur) contamination
	Systems	Population
New York	2	11,904
Montana	1	165
Total	3	12,069

Table. The most polluted communities

12,000 Americans in 3 communities were served tap water contaminated with Baygon (Propoxur) between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Baygon (Propoxur) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Norwood Village Norwood, NY	2,200	1 of 1	2.45 ppb (2.45 to 2.45 ppb)
2	Ilion Village Ilion, NY	9,704	1 of 1	2 ppb (2 to 2 ppb)
3	Town of Bainville Water Bainville, MT	165	1 of 1	0.5 ppb (0.5 to 0.5 ppb)

Health based limits for Baygon (Propoxur)

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	40 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	40 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk	3 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for a lifetime of exposure. The Lifetime health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is based on exposure for a a 70-kg adult consuming 2 liters of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	100 ppb	A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing Summary for Baygon (Propoxur)

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Baygon (Propoxur) tests per year. 39,030 water suppliers failed to report any Baygon (Propoxur) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Baygon (Propoxur) by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Baygon (Propoxur) (1998-2003): 721 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Baygon (Propoxur) Violations

Because Baygon (Propoxur) is unregulated in tap water, no violations are recorded in EPA's violations database, the Safe Drinking Water Information System. Under the federal tap water law, water suppliers are not required to routinely test for Baygon (Propoxur), and any level is legal in tap water.