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Chlorpyrifos Side Effects, Bans and Regulations
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What is chlorpyrifos?
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide, a class of insecticide that kills insects by poisoning their nervous systems. For decades, chlorpyrifos—also known as “Dursban”—was one of the most popular types of pest control in America. Dursban used to be largely available in Lowe’s, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and other retail stores.
Chlorpyrifos is primarily used to kill pests living in leaves and soil, including:
- Fire ants
- Termites
- Cockroaches
- Mosquitos
- Fleas
- Ticks
- Aphids
- Corn rootworms
- Codling moths
- Citrus thrips
In the 1980s, chlorpyrifos brands Dursban and Lorsban were the most widely-used insecticides in the country, both for professionals and everyday Americans. But in 2000, the U.S. EPA banned all home and indoor brands of chlorpyrifos—including Dursban—for possibly causing long-term developmental effects in children. Today, only agricultural workers and licensed pesticide applicators are allowed to spray chlorpyrifos in the United States.
Common chlorpyrifos side effects
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, exposure to chlorpyrifos products like Dursban could cause a number of negative health effects, especially when recently sprayed. Chlorpyrifos may cause the following side effects when inhaled:
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Watery eyes (lacrimation)
- Excess saliva
- Runny nose
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
Researchers identify long-term health effects
Though negative side effects had been reported for years, it took several decades for research to identify long-term complications related to chlorpyrifos exposure. But in 1993, the National Academy of Sciences published a major study finding that children and infants, compared to adults, may face greater health risks when exposed to pesticide residues in their food. Researchers argued that, because children still have growing bodies, exposure to these residues could have a large effect on their development and growth.
The study had a massive impact on U.S. pesticide regulation, leading to Congress passing the Food Quality Protection Act in 1996. Since it became law, pesticides in the U.S. have been required to present a “reasonable certainty of no harm” when used on food. The EPA has also been required to increase its safety limits ten-fold (10x) for pesticide residue in food, which accounts for the sensitive needs of children and babies.
The EPA bans chlorpyrifos for home use
Only a few years later, the U.S. EPA reached an agreement with manufacturers to ban all chlorpyrifos products designed to be used at home or indoors, which eliminated Dursban from the market. EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner stated the following on June 8, 2000 in her official Dursban Announcement Speech:
“We are eliminating virtually all home and garden uses of Dursban—the most widely used household pesticide in the United States. This action comes after completing the most extensive scientific review of the potential hazards from a pesticide ever conducted. This action… will significantly minimize potential health risks from exposure to Dursban, also called chlorpyrifos, for all Americans, especially children.”
Today, the insecticide is banned in several states and can only be used by professionals in certain fields, like commercial agriculture and livestock farming.
Join the Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) lawsuit
If you or a family member were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2000 or later after using Dursban or another brand of chlorpyrifos pesticide, you may be eligible for a settlement from the lawsuit.
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Referenced Articles
- Christensen, K., Harper, B., Luukinen, B., Buhl, K., Stone, D. (2009). Chlorpyrifos General Fact Sheet. National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University Extension Services. npic.orst.edu/factsheets/chlorpgen.html
- National Research Council (US) Committee on Toxicology. (1982). An Assessment of the Health Risks of Seven Pesticides Used for Termite Control. US National Academies Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK217625/
View more sources
- Hites, R. (2021, January 23). The Rise and Fall of Chlorpyrifos in the United States. Environmental Science & Technology, 55(3), 1354-1358. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c06579
- Baker, E.S., Moon, K.J., Branco, R.C. (2023, March 24). Chlorpyrifos: Who Paid and Who Profited? Environmental Justice, 17(1), 79-84. https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2022.0074
- ATSDR. (2011, October 24). ToxFAQs™ for Chlorpyrifos. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/tsp/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=494&toxid=88
- National Research Council (US) Committee on Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children. (1993). Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children. The National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.17226/2126
- EPA. (2025, July 25). Summary of the Food Quality Protection Act. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Laws & Regulations. https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/chlorpyrifos
- Browner, C.M. (2000, June 8). Dursban Announcement. United States Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/archive/epa/aboutepa/dursban-announcement.html
- EPA. (2025, September 8). Chlorpyrifos. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Ingredients Used in Pesticide Products. https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/chlorpyrifos
About the Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit
Products at-risk
Industrial and residential pesticides containing the chemical chlorpyrifos.
Brands in the lawsuit
- Dursban
- Lorsban
- Cobalt
- Lock-On
- Scotts ProTurf
- Warhawk
- NuFos
- Drexel
- Pilot
- and other brands
Which illnesses are eligible?
- Parkinson's disease
- Parkinsonism
