Uses of Red Panther Herbicides

• The most common use for Red Panther herbicides was controlling unwanted grasses. These products were designed for use primarily on lawns and non-crop sites such as patios or drainage ditches, and were not recommended for use on vegetable crops. Red Panther did produce a soil fumigant that acted as an herbicide, nematicide and insecticide and could be used to prepare soil for vegetable beds and ornamental plants and flowers.
  
  

Red Panther Herbicide Active Ingredients

• The chemical compound disodium methanearsonate, or DSMA, was used in several Red Panther liquid herbicide products. According to the Pesticide Action Network, herbicides containing DSMA are no longer available in the United States. Other chemicals used in Red Panther herbicides included chlorthal-dimethyl (DCPA) and siduron. These chemicals pose varying degrees of health and environmental dangers, including mild toxicity and the potential for groundwater contamination. Several manufacturers continue to produce products with compositions of DCPA and siduron comparable to those found in Red Panther products.
  
  

Red Panther Facility Contamination

• In the early 1990s, concerns arose regarding soil and groundwater contamination on and around Red Panther Chemical Company's manufacturing plant. Tests revealed high levels of pesticide chemicals in soil samples and trace amounts of metals in groundwater samples, according to the EPA's HRS Documentation Record. Contamination was believed to be a result of multiple spills. Investigation of the property and surrounding neighborhoods continued until 2001, at which point the EPA ordered the removal of all hazardous waste and contaminated materials, including contaminated soil. By this time Red Panther manufacturing operations had ceased. Cleanup of the site was completed in 2005. As of March 2011 the site's future remained uncertain.
  
  

Natural Alternatives

• Contamination problems at the Red Panther Chemical Co. facility highlight the problems surrounding the use of chemicals in lawn and garden care. Fortunately, there are several environmentally safe methods of controlling weeds. Boiling water, salt, sugar and vinegar solutions can all be used as natural herbicides, some for spot-treating specific weeds and others for eliminating plant growth entirely. For lawns, over-seeding and practicing proper maintenance produces healthy grass strong enough to force out weeds on its own.