Biden administration announces ban on pesticide tied to children’s health
“After the delays and denials of the prior administration, EPA will follow the science and put health and safety first,” he added.
The statement said the agency would revoke all “tolerances” for chlorpyrifos, which is used on crops including soybeans, broccoli, cauliflower, and fruit and nut trees and also has “non-food uses.” The chemical has “been associated with potential neurological effects in children,” the statement said.
The agency had banned chlorpyrifos for household uses in 2000 but allowed agricultural producers to continue using it. The product has been registered for use in the US since 1965 and has proved effective against mosquitoes, cockroaches and fire ants.
The US joins several other countries and states that have restricted use of the pesticide, including Canada, New York, California and Hawaii, the EPA noted.
In 2017, then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt denied a petition from 2007 that requested the agency ban the use of chlorpyrifos in the US.
This story has been updated with additional details Wednesday.
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