At levels of 50 mg/m3, lindane is immediately dangerous to life and health.It is classified as an extremely hazardous substance in the United States as defined in section 302 of the U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (42 U.S.C. 11002), and is subject to strict reporting requirements by facilities which produce, store, or use it in significant quantities. Cancer risk
Based primarily on evidence from animal studies, most evaluations of lindane have concluded that it may possibly cause cancer. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified lindane as a known human carcinogen, and in 2001 the EPA concluded there was "suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity, but not sufficient to assess human carcinogenic potential." The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services determined that all isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane, including lindane, "may reasonably be anticipated to cause cancer in humans," and in 1999, the EPA characterized the evidence carcinogenicity for lindane as "suggestive ... of carcinogenicity, but not sufficient to assess human carcinogenic potential." Lindane and its isomers have also been on Californias Proposition 65 list of known carcinogens since 1989. In contrast, the World Health Organization concluded in 2004 that "lindane is not likely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans." Indias BIS considers Lindane a "confirmed carcinogen". Adverse reactions
A variety of adverse reactions to lindane pharmaceuticals have been reported, ranging from skin irritation to seizures, and, in rare instances, death. The most common side effects are burning sensations, itching, dryness, and rash.
Lindane in soil can leach to surface and even ground water, and can bioaccumulate in the food chain. However, biotransformation and elimination are relatively rapid when exposure is discontinued. Most exposure of the general population to lindane has resulted from agricultural uses and the intake of foods, such as produce, meats, and milk, produced from treated agricultural commodities. Human exposure has decreased significantly since the cancellation of agricultural uses in 2006. Even so, the CDC published in 2005 its Third National Report on Human Exposures to Environmental Chemicals, which found no detectable amounts of lindane in human blood taken from a random sampling of about 5,000 people in the US as part of the NHANES study (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/about_nhanes.htm). The lack of detection of lindane in this large human "biomonitoring" study likely reflects the increasingly limited agricultural uses of lindane over the last two decades. The cancellation of agricultural uses in the United States will further reduce the amount of lindane introduced into the environment by more than 99%.Over time, lindane is broken down in soil, sediment, and water into less harmful substances by algae, fungi, and bacteria; however, the process is relatively slow and dependent on ambient environmental conditions. Lindane residues in honey and beeswax are reported to be the highest of any historical or current pesticide and to continue to pose a threat to honeybee health. The ecological impact of lindanes environmental persistence continues to be debated.