Where It Comes From
Agricultural use on fruit trees and other crops; residues on harvested produce; mixing/loading and spraying at farms; drift and dust from wettable powders. [1][2]
How You Are Exposed
Eating treated produce; breathing spray drift or dust during application; skin contact when handling products or plants; living near recently treated fields. [1][2]
Why It Matters
Short-term exposure can cause eye/skin irritation and allergic dermatitis; higher exposures may trigger headache, nausea, or dizziness. Long-term animal data on dithiocarbamates/carbon disulfide show nervous system and reproductive effects. Cancer evidence is inadequate; IARC classifies ferbam as not classifiable (Group 3). [1][2][3][4]
Who Is at Risk
Farmworkers, pesticide applicators, and people who mix/load ferbam; residents near spraying; children and pregnant people; individuals with asthma or skin allergies. [1][2][3]
How to Lower Your Exposure
Wash/rub produce under running water and peel when possible; follow posted reentry times; use gloves, eye protection, and appropriate respirators when handling; keep windows closed and stay indoors during nearby spraying; store and dispose of products safely and avoid home use. [1][2]
References
- [1]U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for Ferbam. Office of Pesticide Programs.
- [2]WHO/FAO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). Ferbam: toxicological evaluation and residue information.
- [3]Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Carbon Disulfide (CS2).
- [4]International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC Monographs, Ferbam – Group 3 (not classifiable as to carcinogenicity).