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Federal Court Says EPA Must Ban Use of Toxic Pesticide That Harms Children

HeadlineMay 03, 2021

A federal appeals court has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos, unless it can prove the toxic chemical can be used safely. The Obama administration said it would ban the use of chlorpyrifos in 2015, citing EPA research showing it can cause brain damage in children. But the rule never took effect and was suspended by the Trump administration in 2017. The pesticide is still widely used by U.S. farmers on more than 50 fruit, nut, cereal and vegetable crops.

In related news, the New York City Council has voted unanimously to ban the use of most toxic pesticides by city agencies, replacing their use with nature-based techniques like organic gardening. The ban comes after years of activism led by students — some of them as young as 5 years old.

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