Toxaphene

Chemical Classification: Pesticides (chemicals used for killing pests, such as rodents, insects, or plants)

Summary: Toxaphene was one of the most heavily used pesticides in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was used primarily to control insect pests on cotton and other crops in the southern United States. Other uses included controlling insect pests on livestock and killing unwanted fish in lakes. Toxaphene was banned for all registered uses by 1990. Toxaphene is made by reacting chlorine gas with a substance called camphene. The resulting product (toxaphene) is a mixture of hundreds of different chlorinated camphenes and related chemicals.

Affected Organ Systems: Endocrine (Glands and Hormones), Hepatic (Liver)

Cancer Classification:  Please contact NTP, IARC, or EPA with questions on cancer and cancer classification.