Sides drawn over EPA proposal to ban chlorpyrifos

EPA’s plan to halt all agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos, a common organophosphate insecticide, to protect children from neurodevelopmental risks is drawing mixed reactions. The pesticide industry, farm groups, and USDA are criticizing the proposal because it relies on a single human epidemiological study. Environmental groups and some external EPA advisers, however, claim that current hazard assessment methods, which rely on measuring inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholin­esterase in laboratory animals, fail to protect children. Agency advisers are urging EPA to consider all relevant data, including other epidemiology studies and animal toxicity data, to strengthen its assessment. Late last year, EPA proposed to ban all uses of chlorpyrifos on food, saying the agency cannot ensure that combined exposure to chlorpyrifos from food and drinking water is safe. If the agency finalizes the proposal, it will mark the first EPA ban of a pesticide on the basis of human epidemiology data rather than results of tests on animals.