Chlormequat Chloride: The Dangerous New Pesticide Already In Your Food

Our most basic survival needs include access to safe water and food.

However, these two essential resources are increasingly under attack. Harmful chemicals are finding their way into our food and water in shocking amounts, posing a serious threat to our health and wellbeing.

To learn about the chilling consequences of allowing harmful chemicals into our food supply, check out my blog post about the real risks of glyphosate.

Now, we face the looming danger of chlormequat chloride (aka Chlormequat E-Pro®, Citadel®, and Cycocel®), a new pesticide that’s eerily similar to glyphosate. It’s being progressively introduced into our food supply despite warning signs of potential health risks.

In this blog, I’m sharing the truth about chlormequat chloride. Read on to learn the science-backed health risks of exposure to this chemical, the disturbing timeline of chlormequat's EPA approval in the U.S. (all driven by a large pesticide company!), and how muscle testing can help you avoid the pitfalls of our failing food system.

Science-Backed Health Risks Of Chlormequat Chloride Exposure

Chlormequat chloride is a plant growth regulator that is used on a variety of crops including wheat, barley, and oats in many areas throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia, and in Australia. It’s used to control plant size, promote flowering, and inhibit the growth of weeds. In the U.S., this chemical is currently only approved for use on ornamental plants. However, it’s already present in our food supply because imported grains often contain chlormequat chloride residue. (1)

Taminco, a major U.S. manufacturer of chlormequat chloride and a subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company, petitioned the EPA to increase the amount of the chemical legally allowed in food products in the U.S. The EPA quickly approved that request and they are currently deciding on Taminco’s next request that would allow the official use of chlormequat chloride on crops grown domestically.

The EPA's proposed action to allow the use of chlormequat chloride on food crops would lead to a massive increase in the amount of the pesticide used in the United States, according to the Center for Food Safety (CFS). CFS estimates that the use of chlormequat chloride could increase by a factor of 28,000 if this regulation is approved. (2)

There are many reasons the EPA should not approve the use of chlormequat chloride on U.S. crops, but the health risks linked to this pesticide should be enough to ban it. There is growing scientific evidence that this chemical causes irreversible harm to the reproductive and nervous systems – especially for children. When you review the available research on chlormequat chloride, I’m sure you’ll agree that it should be avoided.

The EPA conducted a human health risk assessment on chlormequat chloride and determined there are no dietary, residential, or aggregate risks of concern. However, there is currently NO HUMAN DATA regarding the effects of long-term chlormequat chloride exposure. (3) If this chemical is approved for use, we are all going to be part of a big experiment.

From the animal studies that have been done (using lower doses than what the EPA currently considers safe), it’s apparent that adverse effects are extremely likely. One study found that chlormequat can lower fertility in pigs and mice at doses as low as 0.0023 and 0.024 mg/kg body weight per day, respectively. Another study found that chlormequat can cause altered growth and metabolism during development in rats at doses of 5 mg/kg body weight per day. (4)

This 2020 study examined the effects of low-dose chlormequat exposure on the embryonic growth of rats. The results determined that exposure to chlormequat chloride during pregnancy disrupted embryonic growth by affecting growth regulators and additionally, adversely affecting postnatal health. (5)

How are we expected to believe human mothers won’t experience those effects?

Are we willing to take the risk to find out?

Animal studies link chlormequat chloride exposure to the following health outcomes: (6,7)

• Disruption of fetal growth
• Changes to how heads and bones develop
• Altered metabolism
• Delayed development during puberty
• Changes in sperm’s ability to move efficiently
• Decreased testosterone production
• Damage to the nervous system
• Reduced thymus weight
• Reduced white blood cell counts
• Reduced plasma proteins
• Reduced spleen plaque forming cells

The long-term side effects of chlormequat chloride are being ignored and we could all be at risk if this chemical is approved for nationwide use. The EPA should prioritize the health and wellbeing of the public over the profits of the pesticide industry, but it appears there are motivations to ignore all the red flags.

If you’re concerned about the use of chlormequat chloride in the food supply, you can contact the EPA and urge them to reject the use of this harmful chemical. You can also contact your elected representatives and ask them to support legislation that would ban the use of chlormequat chloride on crops grown in the U.S.

If we pay attention and take action, we can protect ourselves from the harmful effects of chlormequat chloride!

Disturbing Timeline Of EPA Chlormequat Chloride Approval In The U.S.

Take a look at the timeline of the chlormequat chloride approval process in the U.S. When you look closely, you may notice some questionable motives!

• 2018: In response to a petition from Taminco, the EPA set a “safe amount” of chlormequat chloride that would be acceptable on imported grains and animal products (many from Canada). This designation was meant to assure the public that there was “reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical residue.”
• 2020: The EPA increased the “safe amount" by more than double because the pesticide was being used more and more in other countries. This was also in response to a petition from Taminco, who has a vested interest in the large-scale use of chlormequat chloride. There is evidence that the EPA justified this decision with flawed data and glaring scientific oversights. (6)
• 2023: Taminco submitted a request to the EPA for chlormequat chloride to be allowed on domestic wheat and oats in the U.S. If approved, this change would also permit residues of chlormequat in our milk, meat, dairy, and eggs. As of today, the EPA is still reviewing the application and a decision has not yet been made.

When you look into it, you see that the EPA cut corners in its human health risk review process and seemed to have fast-tracked the approval of this chemical. (6) Corporate greed could be pinpointed as the driving force of this fast-track chlormequat rollout.

At this rate, avoiding exposure to this chlormequat chloride will become extremely difficult. Chlormequat chloride is commonly used on crops in the U.K. and Sweden. Two studies have found that it is present in the samples of more than 98% of people from these countries! (8,9) That’s a perfect example of why it’s crucial to advocate for our safety and speak up about these injustices to protect ourselves and our families.

How Muscle Testing Can Help You Take Charge Of Your Health

If you’re tired of wondering whether your food is going to help or harm you, it’s time to take charge of your health and learn the art and science of muscle testing! This simple skill puts the power back in your hands.

Muscle testing is rooted in applied kinesiology. It can help you make aligned decisions for yourself in all areas of life, including diet. This technique can be used to determine which foods are ideal for you and which foods you should avoid.

The theory behind muscle testing is that the body's muscles are connected to the nervous system, which in turn is connected to all of the body's organs and systems. When you come into contact with a food you are sensitive to, your body will react by weakening the muscles.

It is often the case that additives or pesticides that are present in food result in a subtle nervous system response. Your body can detect when these potentially harmful substances are near and the muscle-weakening response can be detected with a simple test using only your hands in less than 1 minute!

Mastering this skill can help you take control of your health and feel your best every day. Using muscle testing in your daily life helps you make informed choices about your diet, lifestyle, and environment. By identifying and addressing imbalances in the body, you can achieve optimal health and happiness.

Ready to learn? You’re invited to join my next in-person Wholistic Quantum Healer™ class!

During this 3-day full-immersion training, you'll learn how to:

• Identify physical and energetic imbalances with muscle testing
• Test for the cause of imbalances with quantum energy work
• Interpret each individual’s energetic blueprint with Wholistic techniques
• Create customized quantum protocols for yourself and others
• Track progress and adjust recommendations throughout the healing process 

And so much more!

Details of The Next In-Person WQH Training: 

• September 29 - October 1, 2023
• Tampa, Florida
• Only a few spots left! 

Hope to see you there!

Enroll Now

Resources:

1. “Chlormequat Chloride.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Chlormequat-chloride#section=Inhalation-Symptoms.

2. Van Deelen, Grace. “EPA Move to Allow New Pesticide Use on Food Crops Worries Health Advocates.” The New Lede, May 8, 2023. https://www.thenewlede.org/2023/05/epa-proposes-new-uses-of-chlormequat/.

3. Jay A. Brown, MD. “Chlormequat Chloride (Cas No. 999-81-5).” Haz. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://haz-map.com/Agents/4617.

4. EWG comments to EPA on chlormequat 042423 final, April 24, 2023. https://www.ewg.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/EWG%20comments%20to%20EPA%20on%20chlormequat_042423_final.pdf.

5. Aguila, M.C., J. Baker, C. Bodenant, J. Dietz, G. Garibotto, S. Harvey, C.H. Lindh, et al. “Maternal Chlormequat Chloride Exposure Disrupts Embryonic Growth and Produces Postnatal Adverse Effects.” Toxicology, July 2, 2020. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0300483X20301736?via%3Dihub.

6. “EWG Investigation: Dangerous Agricultural Chemical Chlormequat Found in Popular Oat-Based Products.” Environmental Working Group, January 31, 2023. https://www.ewg.org/research/ewg-investigation-dangerous-agricultural-chemical-chlormequat-found-popular-oat-based.

7. RD;, Olson LJ;Hinsdill. “Influence of Feeding Chlorocholine Chloride and Glyphosine on Selected Immune Parameters in Deer Mice, Peromyscus Maniculatus.” Toxicology, March 30, 1984. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6710535/.

8. Galea, Karen S, Laura MacCalman, Kate Jones, John Cocker, Paul Teedon, John W Cherrie, and Martie van Tongeren. “Urinary Biomarker Concentrations of Captan, Chlormequat, Chlorpyrifos and Cypermethrin in UK Adults and Children Living near Agricultural Land.” Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology, September 16, 2015. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4611359/.

9. Norén, Erika, Christian Lindh, Lars Rylander, Anders Glynn, Jonatan Axelsson, Margareta Littorin, Moosa Faniband, Estelle Larsson, and Christel Nielsen. “Concentrations and Temporal Trends in Pesticide Biomarkers in Urine of Swedish Adolescents, 2000-2017.” Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology, February 24, 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8075908/.