Scientific Advice on Chemical Disregarded by EPA
Scientific Advice on Chemical Disregarded by EPA
In May 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied a petition to ban Chlorpyrifos, a chemical widely used as a pesticide. The denial went against the advice of top EPA scientists who, in November 2016, warned that exposure to Chlorpyrifos exceeds levels safe in many areas and thus recommended that it be banned. That recommendation was, however, overturned by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt who questioned whether there was “sound science” of the adverse health effects of Chlorpyrifos.
| Update: A study published in April 2018 found that EPA officials did not consult with scientists in the agency’s pesticide division before denying the petition to ban Chlorpyrifos. The study documents interviews with current and former EPA staff, one of whom said he/she had asked a colleague in the pesticide division “whether or not they had been consulted about [the chlorpyrifos decision] . . . they just said ‘nope.’” |