Agent White is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War as part of its herbicidal warfare program, commonly referred to as Operation Ranch Hand. It was one of the so-called "rainbow herbicides," a group that also included Agent Orange, Agent Purple, Agent Blue, and Agent Pink. The name derives from the colored stripe—white—painted on the storage barrels to identify the contents.
Composition: Agent White is a 4:1 mixture of two chemicals: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and picloram. Unlike Agent Orange, Agent White did not contain dioxin (TCDD) as a contaminant. The product was proprietary to the Dow Chemical Company and was also commercialized under the brand name Tordon 101.
Usage: Approximately 5.4 million U.S. gallons (about 20 million liters) of Agent White were sprayed in Vietnam between 1966 and 1971. It was often used as a substitute when Agent Orange was unavailable, including for several months after the use of Agent Orange was halted in April 1970. The herbicide was designed to target broadleaf plants, woody shrubs, and trees, including mangroves, to deny enemy cover and destroy crops.
Testing: In addition to its deployment in Vietnam, the U.S. military tested Agent White, Tordon 101, and picloram at various concentrations at test sites in the United States and Puerto Rico during the 1960s. It was also tested at CFB Cold Lake in Alberta, Canada.
Health and Environmental Impact: While Agent White did not contain dioxin, picloram (one of its active ingredients) is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a "restricted use" pesticide due to its toxicity and environmental persistence. Compared to Agent Orange, relatively few studies have examined the long-term toxic properties of Agent White.
