Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
EPA Bans Pesticide Linked To Neurological Damage In Kids
The New York Times: E.P.A. to Block Pesticide Tied to Neurological Harm in Children
The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it is banning a common pesticide, widely used since 1965 on fruits and vegetables, from use on food crops because it has been linked to neurological damage in children. The Environmental Protection Agency said this week it would publish a regulation to block the use of chlorpyrifos on food. One of the most widely used pesticides, chlorpyrifos is commonly applied to corn, soybeans, apples, broccoli, asparagus and other produce. (Davenport, 8/18)
CNN: Chlorpyrifos: EPA To Ban Pesticide Tied To Children's Health Problems, Reversing Trump-Era Decision
A widely used pesticide that could cause potential health issues in children will no longer be used on food in the US, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday, reversing a Trump-era decision not to ban the controversial chemical. "Today EPA is taking an overdue step to protect public health. 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," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. (Cole and Stark, 8/18)
The Hill: EPA Bans Use Of Pesticide Linked To Developmental Problems In Children
The Trump administration had sought to continue the use of chlorpyrifos, issuing a proposal to do so in December. That proposal was never finalized, though, as it was issued shortly before the Biden administration took over. In its announcement on Wednesday, the EPA indicated that it would continue to review non-food uses of chlorpyrifos. The latest move follows a court order earlier this year that gave the agency limited time to either find uses for the pesticide that are safe or outlaw it. (Frazin, 8/18)
Roll Call: EPA Bans All Food Uses For The Pesticide Chlorpyrifos
The EPA said in light of the decision it determined that current aggregate exposures from the use of chlorpyrifos do not meet the legally required standards “that there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from such exposures.” Environmental groups and those representing farmworkers, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, United Farm Workers and the League of United Latin American Citizens, were represented by Earthjustice in the lawsuit. “It took far too long, but children will no longer be eating food tainted with a pesticide that causes intellectual learning disabilities. Chlorpyrifos will finally be out of our fruits and vegetables,” Earthjustice attorney Patti Goldman said in a statement. (Jordan, 8/18)
