Baby Safety / Compounds / Chlordecone (Kepone)

Is Chlordecone (Kepone) safe for babies and kids?

Very high risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Chlordecone (Kepone) than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What is chlordecone (kepone)?

The IUPAC name is 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,10-decachloropentacyclo[5.3.0.02,6.03,9.04,8]decan-5-one.

Also known as: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,10-decachloropentacyclo[5.3.0.02,6.03,9.04,8]decan-5-one, chlordecone, Kepone, Clordecone.

IUPAC name: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,10-decachloropentacyclo[5.3.0.02,6.03,9.04,8]decan-5-one
CAS number: 143-50-0
Molecular formula: C10Cl10O
Molecular weight: 490.6 g/mol
SMILES: C1(=O)C2(C3(C4(C1(C5(C2(C3(C(C45Cl)(Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl
PubChem CID: 299

Risk for babies

Very high risk

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Severe risk

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Chlordecone (Kepone), potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

Known reproductive toxicant (GHS H360) or confirmed endocrine disruptor. Placental transfer is presumed. Fetal exposure during critical developmental windows may cause structural malformations, growth restriction, or functional deficits.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

12 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Chlordecone (Kepone). The classifications differ — that's the data.

Agency	Year	Classification
IARC	1979	Group 2B
US EPA	2008	likely human carcinogen
EPA CTX / NIOSH	—	potential occupational carcinogen
EPA CTX / IRIS	—	Likely to be carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / NTP RoC	—	Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / IARC	—	Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / CalEPA	—	Known human carcinogen
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 1 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 1 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Eye Irritation: Category 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Irritation: Category 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Sensitization: Category 1 (score: high)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter chlordecone (kepone)

Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Chlordecone (Kepone):

Safer process chemistry; Green chemistry alternatives; Exposure controls
Trade-offs: Requires R&D investment to redesign synthesis routes; may reduce yield or throughput initially; long-term benefits include reduced waste treatment costs, regulatory compliance, and worker safety; 12 Principles of Green Chemistry framework available.

Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is chlordecone (kepone) safe for kids?

What products contain chlordecone (kepone)?

Chlordecone (Kepone) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

What should I do if my child is exposed to chlordecone (kepone)?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Why do regulators disagree about chlordecone (kepone)?

Chlordecone (Kepone) has been classified by 12 agencies including IARC, US EPA, EPA CTX / NIOSH, EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / NTP RoC, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Chlordecone (Kepone) in the baby app

Look up products containing chlordecone (kepone), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)

IARC Monographs Volume 20: Chlordecone (Kepone) — Group 2B; hepatocellular carcinomas in mice; inadequate human carcinogenicity evidence; Hopewell worker episode data (1979) — iarc_monograph
US EPA: James River/Chesapeake Bay Kepone Contamination — Worker Neurotoxicity, Fishing Ban 1975–1988, Aquatic Toxicity Assessment, Point Source Remediation (1976) — regulatory
French Ministry of Health: Chlordécone Plan — Martinique and Guadeloupe Contamination Assessment, Food Exposure, TIMOUN Birth Cohort, Prostate Cancer Risk, Soil Remediation Research (2008) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →