Biden EPA To Ban Chlorpyrifos, a Pesticide Linked to Brain Damage in Children

The Biden administration will ban the use of chlorpyrifos on all food crops, citing potential risks to human health. The common insecticide has been applied to a variety of crops since the 1960s, including broccoli and cranberries, and has been linked to learning disabilities in children. 

August 18, 2021 | Source: HuffPost | by Chris D’Angelo

The Trump administration refused to take the chemical off the market, ignoring the recommendation of Environmental Protection Agency scientists.

The Biden administration will ban the use of chlorpyrifos on all food crops, citing potential risks to human health. The common insecticide has been applied to a variety of crops since the 1960s, including broccoli and cranberries, and has been linked to learning disabilities in children. 

The Environmental Protection Agency announced the move on Wednesday, reversing a 2017 decision by the Trump administration. For years, agricultural giants and the chemical industry have battled with environmentalists, public health experts and farmworkers over the future use of the chemical.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the move “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 delays and denials of the prior administration, EPA will follow the science and put health and safety first.”