Bravo California!

Today the EPA released a list of pesticide registrations that are being voluntarily withdrawn by their manufacturers. Included on this list is the last lindane product that is still registered for sale in California (Isotox Seed Treater). Once the registration withdrawal is fully implemented (takes about 18 months) there will be no lindane pesticides that can be legally sold in California. Added to California's pharmaceutical ban, this mean California will soon be lindane free! (Except, of course, for all that lindane still hanging around in the environment.)

It should be noted that this decision won't have too big of an actual impact, since no lindane pesticide has been sold in California since 2000. Usage of existing stocks of lindane continues at a low rate, with 908 pounds used in California in 2003 (mostly on dried beans and corn). We've come a long way, as 51,000 pounds of lindane were sold in California in 1991!