U.S. EPA is Banning a Farm Pesticide Linked To Health Problems In Children

A pesticide that appears to damage the health of children and farm workers has been banned from future use in the U.S. by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Sprayed on apples, strawberries, citrus fruit, corn, alfalfa, grapes, cotton, almonds, walnuts, and broccoli since 1965, the organophosphate pesticide called chlorpyrifos has been linked to intellectual impairment, loss of working memory, and reduced IQ in children, as well as damage to the prenatal development of infants’ brains. It also impacts the health of farm workers.

In 2020, California, a major agriculture state, banned chlorpyrifos, but the EPA ruled that there was not enough evidence to do the same federally—until legal challenges resulted in a court judge ruling the onus was on the EPA to present indisputable proof that the pesticide did not cause harm in children.

As it could not do so, as of August 20th the agency banned producers from using chlorpyrifos.