EPA bans use of pesticide chlorpyrifos on food crops

The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Wednesday it is banning the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food crops.

Chlorpyrifos is linked to cognitive issues in children, including memory loss. In a statement, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the agency is "taking an overdue step to protect public health. Ending the use of chlorpyrifos on food will help to ensure children, farmworkers, and all people are protected from the potentially dangerous consequences of this pesticide. After the delays and denials of the previous administration, EPA will follow the science and put health and safety first."

During the Trump administration, scientists recommended restricting the use of chlorpyrifos on food and vegetable crops, but this guidance was ignored by then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who said there needed to be additional studies. The EPA on Wednesday said it is looking into other uses of the pesticide and whether it should be outlawed all together.

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United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero said in a statement this is a "huge victory" for the "men and women who harvest our food, who have waited too long for a ban on this pesticide. We are relieved that farmworkers and their families will no longer have to worry about the myriad of ways this pesticide could impact our lives."