The Biden administration has banned the use of chlorpyrifos on food. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI |
License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is banning most uses of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide that has been commonly used for decades on food that is linked to health issues, especially among infants.
The decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the insecticide's use on food follows protracted litigation that goes back to 2007 when two environmental non-profit organizations petitioned the federal agency to prohibit foods that contain chlorpyrifos residue.
Under the previous Trump administration, the EPA twice declined to issue a final rule on the matter saying that there was insufficient evidence to support a nationwide ban.
This prompted the Ninth Circuit Court in April to give the agency 60 days to either modify the pesticide's use to safe standards or to ban its use altogether.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement that his agency's decision was long overdue.
"Ending the use of chlorpyrifos on food will help to ensure children, farmworkers and all people are protected from the potentially dangerous consequences of this pesticide," he said in a statement. "After the delay and denials of the prior administration, EPA will follow the science and put health and safety first."
Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide, has been used as a pesticide for both agricultural and non-agricultural purposes since 1965, but it has been shown to have adverse effects especially upon developing fetuses, infants and children.
Studies have shown that chronic exposure to the pesticide is associated with social behavior, brain development and developmental delays, according to a 2017 letter to the Trump administration from the American Academy of Pediatrics over its decision to not ban chlorpyrifos.
The Pesticide Action Network, which filed the original petition along with the Natural Resources Defense Council in 2007, said in a statement Wednesday that they are "celebrating" the ban, saying it was brought about by persistent organizing and advocacy.
"We're hopeful that today's decision signals a shift for this administration toward re-centering science and justice in decision-making about dangerous pesticides," PAN President Kristin Schafer said.
The United Farm Workers estimates that the ban will eliminate 90% of chlorpyrifos use in the United States, which will greatly reduce exposure of farmworkers and children to the chemical.
"This is great news," UFW President Teresa Romero said while urging the Biden administration to eliminate risks of other occupational exposures to farmworkers and their families.
"To pursue true environmental justice, EPA should weigh how its actions affect the most vulnerable," Romero said. "We will continue to call for a ban on all use of this pesticide and other organophosphates."
California, Hawaii and, most recently, New York in late July, are among states that have banned the use of chlorpyrifos.
