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The Natural Resources Defense Council filed suit Thursday against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over 2,4-D, a widely used ingredient in broad leaf weed killers.

The NRDC went to court with the agency over its alleged failure to respond to a petition calling for the EPA to stop licensing the use of 2,4-D, which was one of two ingredients in the toxic Vietnam war herbicide Agent Orange.

“It’s really time to connect the dots with this chemical and be much more cautious about its use,” said Dr. Gina Solomon, a senior scientist at NRDC. “Right now it’s used in widespread fashion on people’s lawns, back yards, playgrounds, ball fields and soccer fields, where kids are getting it on their skin. That’s a particular problem.”

The EPA does not comment on pending litigation, spokesman Dale Kemery said.

Some 46 million pounds of 2,4-D are used in the United States every year, with about 11.5 million pounds used in lawn care as part of more than two dozen brands of weed killers or “weed and feed” products, EPA figures show.