Obama Administration Moves To Ban of Use of Controversial Pesticide

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving to ban endosulfan, one of the last organochlorine pesticides still used in the U.S., saying it poses unacceptable risks to agricultural workers and wildlife and has a tendency to persist in the environment. A chlorinated insecticide used primarily in the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, cotton, and ornamental plants, endosulfan is chemically similar to DDT, which was banned in the U.S. in 1972. While the effects of exposure on human health are largely unknown, animal tests show that endosulfan can damage the nervous system, kidney, liver, and male reproductive organs, even with the use of maximum protective equipment. “Risks faced by workers are greater than previously known, in many instances exceeding the Agency’s level of concern,” according to the EPA website. The agency also says the chemical poses a risk to wildlife, particularly fish and birds. A federal ban would reverse a 2002 decision by the Bush administration that allowed continued use of endosulfan with some restrictions, a decision that prompted a lawsuit by farm labor unions and environmental advocacy groups.