Aren there cancer-causing chemicals in rotenone?
The pesticide formulations that we plan to use contain rotenone as the active, fish-killing ingredient. Solvents and dispersants are compounds used to help mix it in water. There may also be trace amounts of other compounds. Some of these compounds have been found to cause cancer when there is exposure to unsafe levels of these compounds. This project has been designed to avoid exposure to these compounds. The project is required to comply with Section 116751 of the California Health and Safety Code. Under this law, before Lake Davis water can be used as drinking water, the Department of Health Services must make sure that no detectable residues of rotenone, breakdown products, or other compounds remain in the drinking water supply after the project is complete. The water will have to be cleaner than required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the state Safe Drinking Water Act, and Proposition 65 (Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986).
