Water & Air / Compounds / Mecoprop (MCPP)

Mecoprop (MCPP) in water and air: safety profile

Moderate risk

(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Mecoprop is a phenoxypropionic acid herbicide widely used in lawn care and turf management. IARC Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) — classified alongside other phenoxy herbicides in Volume 113 (2015). Moderate acute toxicity: oral LD50 rat 930 mg/kg. Eye and skin irritant. Environmental concern: one of the most frequently detected pesticides in European surface waters and US stormwater. Found in roof waterproofing bitumen membranes, contributing to chronic low-level water contamination.

What is mecoprop (mcpp)?

Also known as: MCPP, Mecoprop-P, Methylchlorophenoxypropionic acid, Kilprop.

CAS number
7085-19-0
Molecular formula
C10H11ClO3
Molecular weight
214.65 g/mol
SMILES
CC1=C(C(=C(C=C1)Cl)NC2=CC=CC=C2C(=O)[O-])Cl.[Na+]
PubChem CID
4038

Risk for people

Moderate risk

Mecoprop is a phenoxypropionic acid herbicide widely used in lawn care and turf management. IARC Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) — classified alongside other phenoxy herbicides in Volume 113 (2015). Moderate acute toxicity: oral LD50 rat 930 mg/kg. Eye and skin irritant. Environmental concern: one of the most frequently detected pesticides in European surface waters and US stormwater. Found in roof waterproofing bitumen membranes, contributing to chronic low-level water contamination.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Mecoprop (MCPP). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IARC2015Group 2B — Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EU2003Approved (mecoprop-P only); racemic mecoprop not approved

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 you encounter mecoprop (mcpp)

  • Lawn Care
  • Water
  • Building Materials

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Mecoprop (MCPP):

  • Iron-based herbicides (FeHEDTA)
    Trade-offs: Slower activity, requires repeat applications. Only effective on certain broadleaf species. No systemic activity.
    Relative cost: Higher per application
  • Manual weed removal / cultural practices
    Trade-offs: Labor-intensive but eliminates chemical exposure entirely.
    Relative cost: Labor cost only

Frequently asked questions

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See Mecoprop (MCPP) in the water app

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

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Sources (2)
  1. IARC Monograph Vol. 113 — DDT, Lindane, and 2,4-D (2015) — iarc
  2. EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision — MCPP — epa

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 →