Federal court orders EPA to ban chlorpyrifos

All tolerances for and registrations of chlorpyrifos could soon be banned under a court order issued by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The decision nullifies last year’s decision by former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, who cancelled the agency’s proposal to ban the product. The decision is borne from a lawsuit by a variety of labor and environmental activist organizations against the EPA. Joining petitioners in the suit included the states of California, New York, Maryland, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, Hawaii and the District of Columbia. While it is publicly unknown whether the EPA will appeal to the US Supreme Court or simply comply with the ruling, California growers are being told it’s “business as usual” for the meantime. In short, California growers can still use chlorpyrifos under current state regulations and label restrictions. As it stands, chlorpyrifos remains a restricted use pesticide labeled for specific crops and uses in California and will be treated as such by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, according to DPR Spokesperson Charlotte Fadipe. If the EPA cancels all tolerances of chlorpyrifos then California would do the same. Until then Fadipe says DPR will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and “carry on looking at what protections and restrictions are necessary.” Growers in other states are encouraged to contact their local regulatory agencies if they have questions about chlorpyrifos...MORE