EPA Might Approve Pesticide That May Harm Children’s Health

Recent revelations obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit by the non-profit Center for Biological Diversity shed light on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) consideration of approving a controversial pesticide, aldicarb, for use on Florida oranges and grapefruits. Despite internal records indicating that the chemical fails to meet safety standards, the EPA appears to be under persistent pressure from chemical industry lobbyists, politicians, and political appointees to approve.

The EPA emails suggest a shift in the agency’s stance during the Trump administration, with the Office of Pesticide Programs prioritizing the interests of AgLogic, a North Carolina-based company seeking to expand sales of aldicarb. The approval granted during this time was subsequently rejected by the state of Florida and a federal appeals court. The pesticide, classified as “extremely hazardous” by the World Health Organization (WHO) and banned in over 100 countries, is still under consideration for approval by the Biden-era EPA.

Internal communications reveal that EPA scientists have consistently opposed the approval of aldicarb due to concerns about its impact on public health. The scientists were worried about the potential contamination of drinking water and raised alarms about the high levels of the pesticide in citrus fruits, expressing concerns that orange juice could become unsafe for children to consume.

The recent disclosures align with whistleblower complaints from EPA scientists in 2021, alleging routine pressure to downplay or remove scientific evidence highlighting the dangers posed by certain chemicals. These revelations underscore the challenges faced by agency scientists in resisting external influence.

Aldicarb has a contentious history, having been banned in more than 100 countries and prohibited by the Rotterdam Convention, a global agreement regulating the world’s most hazardous chemicals. In the US, the EPA had previously found in 2010 that aldicarb posed unacceptable risks to the developing brains of infants and young children, leading to its registration cancellation by Bayer AG. However, AgLogic received limited approval to sell aldicarb for specific crops, with rare usage reported.

Internal EPA emails document the struggles of scientists to reject aldicarb despite their reservations. The records show attempts to create new scientific models that would present the pesticide as less risky than previous findings indicated. When these efforts failed, the EPA resorted to imposing a production cap, limiting aldicarb use to a fraction of the previous allowance to facilitate approval.

Despite previous setbacks, AgLogic continues to seek expanded approval for aldicarb. The EPA, under the Biden administration, is currently conducting human health and environmental risk assessments. An EPA spokesman, Jeffrey Landis, emphasizes the agency’s commitment to ensuring decisions are free from interference and that scientific integrity is upheld.

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