News – Maryland Pesticide Network & Maryland Pesticide Education Network

First-in-the-Nation Website Identifies Safer Disinfectant Options

Online tool helps schools, the healthcare industry, and consumers sanitize and protect from COVID-19 variants without exposure to dangerous chemicals Although the use of disinfectants has increased in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been limited public knowledge about the potential serious health consequences associated with some of these disinfectants, including the […]

How the Pesticide Industry Tried to Stop a Bill to Protect Bees in Maryland

A rare glimpse into the pesticide industry’s playbook, illuminated by emails US Right to Know obtained by FOIA revealing the coordinated tactics Md Dept. of Agriculture and the pesticide industry used to try to kill the 2015-16 bee bills. Despite this, Smart on Pesticides Coalition fought and won this first-in-the-nation legislation that banned outdoor consumer use […]

Maryland Lacks Appropriate Systems to Track COVID Cases Among Poultry, Migrant, and Seasonal Farm and Food Workers

Marylanders for Food and Farm Worker Protection Coalition calls on the state to adopt new measures to help curb infectious diseases by collecting better COVID-19 data for the poultry industry and migrant seasonal food and farm workers Right now, migrant and seasonal farm workers are arriving in Maryland to support the state’s immense agriculture industry. […]

Experts and Advocates Testify in Support of Bill Protecting Marylanders from Dangerous PFAS in Common Pesticides

Bill would ensure mosquito control products are free of PFAS contamination in order to safeguard public health Nationally renowned scientists, environmental advocates, and public health experts provided testimony to the Maryland House of Delegates Health and Government Operations committee today in favor of a bill to eliminate PFAS contamination in mosquito control products in Maryland. […]

Essential food and farm workers Covid-19 vulnerable

Maryland Essential Workers’ Protection Act Passes State Legislature, Safeguarding Food and Farm Workers During Enduring Pandemic

A victory for temporary emergency protections, but more work to be done to protect food and farm workers Last night, the Maryland legislature gave final approval to the Maryland Essential Workers’ Protection Act (HB 581 / SB 486), which is a small victory for essential workers, including food and farm workers who have often been […]

General Assembly Passes Bill to Fix Pollinator Protection Act

Technical fix protects bees, pollinators, and Maryland’s food supply April 12, 2021, Annapolis, MD – Today, the Maryland General Assembly gave final passage to legislation (HB208 / SB375) that will provide a critical technical fix to the bipartisan 2016 Pollinator Protection Act to end all consumer use of outdoor, home, lawn, and garden products that contain neonicotinoid (or neonic) pesticide, as the […]

PFAS Found in Widely Used Insecticide

Environmental groups call on EPA and Maryland to find and eliminate source March 26, 2021, Washington, D.C. — An insecticide widely used in public mosquito control contains high levels of toxic“forever chemicals,” according to test results ordered by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Maryland Pesticide Education Network (MPEN). Because per-and polyfluoralkyl substances […]

OpEd” MD Lawmakers Should Override the Veto of the Chlorpyrifos Ban

MD Lawmakers Should Override the Veto of the Chlorpyrifos BanBy: Dr. Jerome Paulson January 21, 2021 The Smart on Pesticides Maryland coalition, spearheaded by the Maryland Pesticide Education Network, works to protect Marylanders and the natural systems we depend upon from the toxic impacts of pesticides. The coalition includes 78 organizations, and institutions representing communities, […]

New Maryland Coalition Calls on Governor Hogan To Protect Food and Farm Workers

Over 100 groups form the Marylanders for Food and Farm Worker Protection Coalition call for executive order providing COVID-19 protections for poultry, seafood, and agricultural workers. September 3, 2020, Eastern Shore, MD — Today, a new coalition of over 100 groups fighting for workers’ rights launched its campaign calling on Governor Hogan to issue an […]

Statement on Governor Hogan’s Veto of Chlorpyrifos Ban

For Immediate Release May 7, 2020 Contact: Dawn Stoltzfus, The Hatcher Group, 410-267-4153, dawn@thehatchergroup.com Ruth Berlin, Maryland Pesticide Education Network, 410-693-7319, berlinmpn49@gmail.com Statement on Governor Hogan’s Veto of Chlorpyrifos Ban (Annapolis, MD) – The Smart on Pesticides Coalition released the following statement in response to Governor Hogan’s veto of SB 300, which would have banned […]

General Assembly Passes Maryland Chlorpyrifos Ban

State to become 4th in the country to ban pesticide proven to cause brain damage and harm the environment March 18, 2020, Annapolis, MD – Today the Maryland General Assembly gave final passage to legislation that will ban chlorpyrifos starting January 1, 2021. Maryland will become the fourth state in the country to ban chlorpyrifos, […]

Bill to Ban Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos Passes Maryland Senate

For Immediate Release March 3, 2020 Contact: Dawn Stoltzfus, The Hatcher Group, 410-267-4153, dawn@thehatchergroup.com Ruth Berlin, Maryland Pesticide Education Network, 410-693-7319, berlinmpn49@gmail.com Bill to Ban Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos Passes Maryland Senate Chlorpyrifos is proven to cause brain damage in children and harm the environment (Annapolis, MD) – Today, the Maryland Senate voted 31-14 […]

Press Statement on MD Dept of Agriculture’s Flawed Proposal to Draft Chlorpyrifos Regulations

For Immediate Release Feb. 19, 2020 Contact: Dawn Stoltzfus, The Hatcher Group, 410-267-4153, dawn@thehatchergroup.com Ruth Berlin, Maryland Pesticide Education Network, 410-693-7319, berlinmpn49@gmail.com PRESS STATEMENT ON MD DEPT OF AGRICULTURE’S FLAWED PROPOSAL TO DRAFT CHLORPYRIFOS REGULATIONS (Annapolis, MD) – The Smart on Pesticides Coalition issued the following joint press statement today in response to the Maryland […]

Statement – Pollinator Protection Act Becomes Law

Statement – Pollinator Protection Act Becomes Law May 2016 […]

Pesticide Foes Win the Day in DC: Cheh’s Bill Goes to Mayor

Tue, Jul 10, 2012 WASHINGTON, D.C., After more than a year of strategic planning and fierce opposition from synthetic chemical lobbying groups, a Washington, D.C., councilor today was able to unanimously pass the nation’s most comprehensive municipal law to restrict pesticides. Representative Mary’s Cheh’s bill, known as the Pesticide Education and Control Amendment Act […]

British Columbia Pesticide Ban Campaign Gains Traction

Beyond Pesticides, (May 10, 2012) British Columbia (BC) may become the eighth Canadian province to ban cosmetic (lawn care) pesticides after the Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides submit their recommendations to the legislature later this month. The report will outline the bipartisan committee’s findings from over the last eight months on restrictions for non-essential […]

EPA lawsuit could influence thousands, farm bureaus says

By The Associated Press MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The American Farm Bureau and its West Virginia counterpart say an Environmental Protection Agency move aimed at cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay could set critical legal precedent for their members, so they should be allowed to intervene in an Eastern Panhandle chicken grower’s lawsuit. In a court […]

EPA Releases Pyrethroid Risk Assessment, Ignores Numerous Health Effects

(Beyond Pesticides, November 16, 2011) On November 9, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its cumulative risk assessment for the pyrethroid class of insecticides, concluding that these pesticides “do not pose risk concerns for children or adults,” ignoring a wealth of independent data that links this class of chemicals to certain cancers, […]

EU food pesticide residue levels fall: EFSA

Tue, Nov 8 2011 MILAN (Reuters) – Pesticide residues found in food in the European Union fell in 2009 compared with 2008 thanks to tightening of safety rules and changes in patterns of pesticide use in Europe, EU’s food safety agency said on Tuesday. Compliance with the legal maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides […]

PESTICIDES: Senate permit negotiations break down

Jeremy P. Jacobs, E&E reporter October 31, 2011 Last-minute Senate negotiations to delay court-ordered permits for some pesticide users appear to have broken down at the end of last week, meaning U.S. EPA will have to begin issuing the new permits immediately. At issue is a 2009 federal appeals court ruling in National Cotton […]

White House Proposes Increased Pesticide Registration Fees

(Beyond Pesticides, September 22, 2011) As part of his $3 trillion deficit-reduction plan, President Obama has proposed to increase pesticide and chemical registration fees and reinstate tolerance assessment fees in order to cover the costs of evaluating the chemicals’ health and environmental effects data. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently collects fees from […]

Roundup May Be Damaging Soil and Reducing Yields, Says USDA

(Beyond Pesticides, August 22, 2011) A US Department of Agriculture (USDA) official speaking at an agricultural conference said that the heavy use of Roundup, an herbicide manufactured by Monsanto and used heavily on “Roundup Ready” genetically engineered (GE) crops, appears to be causing harmful changes in soil and potentially hindering yields of crops that […]

Bill Reintroduced to Regulate Chemicals in Cosmetic Products

(Beyond Pesticides, June 29, 2011) The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 was reintroduced last week in the House of Representatives aiming to grant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate personal care products, including cosmetics, to ensure they are free of harmful ingredients before they hit the shelves. Cosmetics currently go […]

Bills to Regulate Endocrine Disruptors Introduced in Congress

(Beyond Pesticides, July 22, 2011) Parallel bills have been introduced in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives designed to increase federal research on endocrine disrupting chemicals and ensure public safety by restricting or eliminating chemicals found to present unacceptable risks to public health. S 1361, introduced by Senator John Kerry (D-MA), and […]

Chesapeake Bay Pesticides: Some Diminish, Some Persist

ARS chemists Cathleen Hapeman (left) and Laura McConnell have found that traces of some “legacy” pesticides that are no longer used linger in the Chesapeake Bay airshed. (Credit: Peggy Greb) ScienceDaily (July 9, 2011), Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are identifying factors that influence pesticide levels in the Chesapeake Bay airshed, […]

House panel fast-tracks bill to divest EPA of regulatory power

(06/22/2011) Paul Quinlan, E&E reporter, Greenwire After a brief but rancorous debate, a House committee approved a fast-tracked bill that would shift regulatory powers over water, wetlands and mountaintop-mining regulation from U.S. EPA to the states. In a 35-19, largely party-line vote, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this morning approved the bill (H.R. […]

Congress Advances Bill to Limit Clean Water Protections from Pesticides

(Beyond Pesticides, March 11, 2011) The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture unanimously approved a bill, Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011 (H.R. 872), on Wednesday, March 9 which would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA) to eliminate provisions requiring pesticide applicators to obtain […]

Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Aris A, Leblanc S. Source Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada; Clinical Research Centre of Sherbrooke University Hospital Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Abstract Pesticides associated to genetically modified foods (PAGMF), are engineered to tolerate herbicides […]

Senate Bill Threatens to Exempt Pesticide from Environmental Laws: Oppose HR 872

Without a hearing or public discussion, the Senate Agriculture Committee voted to strip states and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of their fundamental responsibility to protect our nation’s waters from toxic pesticides. HR 872 amends the Clean Water Act (CWA) and federal pesticide law to prohibit authorities from requiring a permit for the discharge […]

U.S. House Again Proposes Sweeping Rollbacks in Clean Water Safeguards

(Beyond Pesticides, July 18, 2011) The U.S. House of Representatives has proposed to strip significant clean water protection from the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). In a vote on Wednesday, July 13, the Republican-controlled chamber passed the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011, H.R. 2018. […]

EPA Publishes Petition to Ban Triclosan, Opens Public Comment

(Beyond Pesticides, December 20, 2010) Announcing a 60-day public comment period, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday published in the Federal Register a petition filed by 82 public health and environmental groups, led by Beyond Pesticides and Food and Water Watch, to ban the controversial antimicrobial/antibacterial pesticide triclosan, found in products from clothing […]

Deadly Pesticide Endosulfan Finally Banned in United States

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 15, 2010 10:50 AM CONTACT: Center for Biological Diversity Jeff Miller, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 499-9185 Endocrine-disrupting Chemical Is Highly Toxic to Wildlife, Threatens Endangered Species and Is Dangerous to Human Health WASHINGTON – November 15 – The Center for Biological Diversity today praised the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan […]

U.S. Grapples with Bedbugs, Misuse of Pesticides, As Non-Toxic Alternatives Are Not Widely Discussed

(Beyond Pesticides, September 1, 2010) A resurgence of bedbugs across the U.S. has homeowners and apartment dwellers taking desperate measures to eradicate the tenacious bloodsuckers, with some relying on dangerous outdoor pesticides and fly-by-night exterminators. However, these measures pose more dangers than any perceived short-term benefit, as non-toxic alternatives are not widely discussed. Bed […]

EPA Moves to Terminate All Uses of Insecticide Endosulfan to Protect Health of Farmworkers and Wildlife

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action to end all uses of the insecticide endosulfan in the United States. Endosulfan, which is used on vegetables, fruits, and cotton, can pose unacceptable neurological and reproductive risks to farmworkers and wildlife and can persist in the environment. New data generated in response […]

USGS Finds Atrazine Herbicide Adversely Affects Fish Reproduction

(Beyond Pesticides, June 1, 2010) Atrazine, one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world, has been shown to affect reproduction of fish at concentrations below U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) water-quality guideline, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study. “Concentrations of atrazine commonly found in agricultural streams and rivers caused reduced […]

EPA Official Says Studies Prompted New Look At Atrazine’s Potential Human Health Risks

The Bureau of National Affairs, Daily Environment Report (ISSN 1521-9402) 4/27/10The Environmental Protection Agency is studying the herbicide atrazine in the light of recent studies showing toxic effects on reproductive, immune, and other systems of laboratory animals, agency officials told an advisory panel April 26.It is time “to take a look at the new science” […]

Bill Introduced in U.S. House to Ban Atrazine

(Beyond Pesticides, April 27, 2010) On April 22, 2010, Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced H.R.5124, legislation to prohibit the use, production, sale, importation, or exportation of any pesticide containing atrazine. The bill’s introduction coincides with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) meeting this week to reevaluate the human health effects of […]

Fields of Dreams Shattered with Baseball’s Endorsement of Chemical Lawn Care

(Beyond Pesticides, March 15, 2010) A coalition of environmental groups is chastising in a letter to Major League Baseball its new alliance with Scotts Miracle-Gro because it says the chemical and seed company undermines sound environmental values by promoting turf management programs that are unnecessarily chemical-intensive. Scotts introduced newly branded products, which it will […]

Supreme Court Lets Stand Pesticide Use Permitting to Protect Waterways

(Beyond Pesticides, February 26, 2010) The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to review a U.S. Circuit Court decision in National Cotton Council (NCC) v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), upholding EPA’s authority to subject pesticide use to a permitting process under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In January of 2009, the 6th Circuit Court of […]

Pesticides in Bay Cause of Concern for Local Fisherman

(Beyond Pesticides, February 18, 2010) Hundreds of dead and dying lobsters just north of the Gulf of Maine were found to have been exposed to cypermethrin, a highly toxic synthetic pyrethroid pesticide registered for agricultural and residential use that some officials think may have been illegally used in fish farming. However, the chemical, which […]

NYT: That Tap Water is Legal But May Be Unhealthy

December 17, 2009 That Tap Water Is Legal but May Be Unhealthy By CHARLES DUHIGG The 35-year-old federal law regulating tap water is so out of date that the water Americans drink can pose what scientists say are serious health risks ‚Äî and still be legal. Only 91 contaminants are regulated by the Safe […]

Regulators Plan to Study Risks of Atrazine

By CHARLES DUHIGG The New York Times October 7, 2009 The Environmental Protection Agency plans to conduct a new study about the potential health risks of atrazine, a widely used weed killer that recent research suggests may be more dangerous to humans than previously thought. Atrazine – a herbicide often used on corn fields, […]

U.S. Geological Survey Identifies Intersex Fish Nationwide

(Beyond Pesticides, September 18, 2009) Previously documented in the Potomac River, which flows through downtown Washington, DC, the occurrence of “intersex” fish is now found to be nationwide. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers published their study, “Widespread occurrence of intersex in black basses from U.S. rivers” in the online edition of Aquatic Toxicology. USGS researchers […]

Report Finds Inadequate EPA Regulation of Pesticides in Water

(Beyond Pesticides, August 26, 2009) The commonly used herbicide atrazine can spike at extremely high levels which go undetected by regular monitoring, according to new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Poisoning the Well. Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers an annual average atrazine level of below 3 parts per […]

EPA Long-Term Pesticide Safety Tests Criticized for Falling Short

(Beyond Pesticides, August 17, 2009) The four-day testing period the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commonly uses to determine, safe’ levels of pesticide exposure for humans and animals could fail to account for the long-term effects of toxic chemicals, University of Pittsburgh researchers report in the September edition of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. The […]

EPA Leading Efforts to Reduce Contamination of Chesapeake Bay

(Beyond Pesticides, May 14, 2009) President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Tuesday creating a Federal Leadership Committee for the Chesapeake Bay to be chaired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The executive order calls for EPA and six other federal agencies to coordinate and expand federal tools and resources to help speed […]

Stockholm Convention Expanded to Ban Lindane, Other Toxic Chemicals

(Beyond Pesticides, May 13, 2009) Last week, nine new hazardous chemicals were added to the list of chemicals to be banned under the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Lindane, a pesticide commonly used in head lice treatments in the U.S. and whose use has already been banned in many countries, was added […]

New York Governor Sets Pesticide-Free Goal for State Parks

(Beyond Pesticides, May 4, 2009) Targeting areas frequented by children, such as playgrounds, picnic areas, baseball fields, campgrounds, beaches, and hiking trails, New York Governor David A. Paterson announced an initiative to substantially reduce pesticide use throughout the State park system. “New York has a magnificent State park system that is a tremendous resource […]

The New Polluters of the Potomac

By H. Hedrick Belin Silver Spring Sunday, April 19, 2009 After more than a quarter of a century of Clean Water Act legislation and enforcement, the Washington area’s river and bay waters are nowhere near as healthy as they should be. The main sources of the impairments are no mystery: sedimentation, agricultural runoff, rainwater […]

EPA Releases Database on Environmental Chemicals, Exposes Data Gaps

(Beyond Pesticides, March 18, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new online database that collects information on more than 500,000 synthetic chemicals from over 200 public sources. The Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR) database provides access to hundreds of data sources in one place, enabling easy access for environmental researchers, […]

New Canadian Regulations Prohibit 85 Lawn and Garden Pesticides

(Beyond Pesticides, March 4, 2009) The Ontario government is set to announce sweeping new regulations that will prohibit the use of 85 chemical substances, found in roughly 250 lawn and garden products, from use on neighborhood lawns. Once approved, products containing these chemicals would be barred from sale and use for cosmetic purposes. On […]

Pesticide use bugs lawmakers: Link to lobster die-off comes into focus

Written by Chipp Reid Monday, February 09, 2009 A pair of Democratic lawmakers say they plan to grill the state Department of Environmental Protection over its efforts to restore the state’s lobster industry while ignoring industry experts on the effects of pesticides lobstermen say continue to kill the animals. Commercial fishermen claim pesticides many […]

Federal agencies release draft reports required by Chesapeake Bay Executive Order

Federal agencies have released the seven draft reports required by President Obama’s Executive Order, which contain a range of proposed strategies for accelerating cleanup of the Bay and its vast watershed. The draft reports and an executive summary are available at http://executiveorder.chesapeakebay.net The draft reports collectively call for increased accountability and performance from pollution […]

Farmworkers Face Highest Risk of Pesticide Poisonings, EPA Worker Protection Standards Failing

(Beyond Pesticides, December 8, 2008) A new study by a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researcher finds the pesticide poisoning incidence rate among U.S. agricultural workers is thirty-nine times higher than the incidence rate found in all other industries combined. The study, “Acute Pesticide Poisoning Among Agricultural Workers in the United […]

EU Environment Committee Approves Ban of Highly Toxic Pesticides

(Beyond Pesticides, November 7, 2008) The European Parliament’s environment committee has passed new measures aimed at reducing use and toxicity of pesticides used on crops throughout the European Union (EU). If approved by Parliament at the end of the year, the EU will be on its way to reducing pesticide use by 85 percent […]

Maryland hospitals cutting toxic pesticides

By Sara Michael Examiner Staff Writer 10/27/08 Hospitals are normally a place to get well — not to be exposed to toxic chemicals. But many health care facilities rely on toxic chemicals for pest control, prompting several local hospitals to vow to use safer ways to kill ants, roaches and termites. “We’re not adding […]

U.S. Chemical Company Challenges Pesticide Ban

http://www.embassymag.ca/page/view/peterson_nafta-10-22-2008 by Luke Eric Peterson Published October 22 2008 The issue of free trade was largely a non-issue during our recent federal election. However, the North American Free Trade Agreement might have garnered a few headlines if the Feds had disclosed that U.S. chemical giant Dow signaled in late August that it is gearing […]

Initiative Improves Pest Management in Boston’s Public Housing

(Beyond Pesticides, September 16, 2008) Responding to grassroots pressure highlighting the impact of pests and pesticides on public health, the Boston Public Housing Authority (BHA) is promoting integrated pest management (IPM) through its Healthy Pest Free Housing Initiative Project (HPFHI) in the city’s public housing facilities. The program, which was launched after the Committee […]

EPA Drops Value of an American Life

By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Posted: 2008-07-10 20:51:11 Filed Under: Health News, Nation News, Science News WASHINGTON (July 10) – It’s not just the American dollar that’s losing value. A government agency has decided that an American life isn’t worth what it used to be. The “value of a statistical life” is $6.9 million in […]

Chemical Law Has Global Impact E.U.’s New Rules Forcing Changes By U.S. Firms

By Lyndsey Layton Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, June 12, 2008; A01 Europe this month rolled out new restrictions on makers of chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems, changes that are forcing U.S. industries to find new ways to produce a wide range of everyday products. The new laws in the European […]

Fed Launches Organic Lawn Management in Capitol Region

(Beyond Pesticides, June 9, 2008) The General Services Administration (GSA) has begun using organic fertilizer on the grounds of all its federal buildings in the National Capital Region. The region, which is part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, includes the District of Columbia, as well parts of Virginia and Maryland. According to the U.S. […]

Researchers Looking For Alternatives to DEET

(Beyond Pesticides, May 28, 2008) Researchers have begun preliminary work to find suitable and safe alternatives to the widely used mosquito repellent DEET. Several possibilities have been identified, which repel mosquitoes for longer periods of time, but their safety for use on humans still needs to be investigated. Researchers, with funding from the Department […]

Cosmetic Use of Lawn Chemicals Banned in Ontario

(Beyond Pesticides, April 23, 2008) Ontario is moving to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals by banning the sale and cosmetic use of pesticides. Legislation to be introduced today would make Ontario’s pesticide rules among the toughest in North America. It would also replace a variety of municipal by-laws in place across the province. Studies […]

Swedish Study Finds GMO Seeds Persist 10 Years After Planting

(Beyond Pesticides, April 4, 2008) A study called “Long-term persistence of GM oilseed rape in the seedbank,” recently published in the journal Biology Letters, has found a genetically modified (GM) crop to persist in spite of a decade of efforts to remove it from a field. Researchers from Sweden’s Lund University and the Danish […]

Chemical Industry’s Influence at EPA Probed

By Lyndsey Layton Washington Post Staff Writer Washington Post – Friday, April 4, 2008 A congressional committee is investigating ties between the chemical industry and expert review panels hired by the Environmental Protection Agency to help it determine safe levels for a variety of chemical compounds. Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), chairman of the […]

Pesticide Residues Found in European Wines

(Beyond Pesticides, April 3, 2008) Wines on sale in the European Union (EU), including wines made by world famous vineyards, contain residues of a number of pesticides, according to a new report by Pesticide Action Network Europe. The organization tested 40 bottles of wine purchased inside the EU from Australia, Austria, Chile, France, Italy, […]

Maryland Farming Subsidies Mitigate Fertilizer Damage

(Beyond Pesticides, December 5, 2007) The state of Maryland, in an effort to stem the extensive pollution of the Chesapeake Bay, has developed a cost-share program that pays farmers to plant winter cover crops, beginning with a pilot program in 1992. Farmers plant a variety of crops, wheat being the most popular, which in […]

European Union Takes First Step To Decrease Pesticide Usage

(Beyond Pesticides, October 29, 2007) European Parliament members voted in favor of tighter pesticide legislation Tuesday, passing the first hurdle to enacting laws that would protect the EU’s most vulnerable communities, ensure high quality food, and prevent residues from accumulating in the environment. The European Commission’s proposal places a general ban on aerial spraying, […]

Canada’s Ontario Premier Calls for Ban of Cosmetic Pesticide Use

(Beyond Pesticides, September 27, 2007) In a call for sweeping reform in Canada, the Ontario Liberal Party, lead by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, has called for the banning ban of all cosmetic use of pesticides across the province as part of their commitment to healthier Ontario families. Twenty five municipalities, covering about 30 […]

European Union Bans the Herbicide Paraquat

(Beyond Pesticides, July 13, 2007) A European Union (EU) court banned the toxic weedkiller paraquat Wednesday, accepting arguments from the Swedish government that it does not meet EU health standards. Paraquat is the main ingredient in Swiss-based Syngenta’s Gramoxone – one of the world’s three most widely used weedkillers. Paraquat has been linked to […]

EPA exempts some pesticide use

H.JOSEF HEBERT Associated Press Tue, Nov. 21, 2006 WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that pesticides can be applied over and near bodies of water without a permit under the federal Clean Water Act. The decision brought immediate criticism from an environmental watchdog group and from a senator involved in environmental issues. […]

Appeals Court Upholds EPA Pesticide Rule Allowing Ozone-Depleting Pesticide

(Beyond Pesticides, August 31, 2006) A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a pesticide rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2004, saying that the regulation does not violate the Clean Air Act even though it may conflict with an international environmental treaty signed by the U.S. that phases out the use […]

Effects of Agent Orange Continue Decades After Vietnam

(Beyond Pesticides, August 30, 2006) Kerry Ryan, a symbol in the fight against Agent Orange, died Monday at 35 of kidney failure. Her father, Michael Ryan, a Vietnam War veteran, attributes her battle with 22 major birth defects to his exposure to the chemical while serving in the war. Mr. Ryan said, “She belongs […]

EPA Completes Pesticide Review- Are our Children Better Protected?

(Beyond Pesticides, August 7, 2006) August 3, 2006 marked the congressionally mandated deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) safety review of thousands of widely used pesticide products, from home lawn weed killers to insecticides used in food production. The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 required EPA to review and reregister food […]

EPA Pesticide Program Evaluated, Performance Questioned

(Beyond Pesticides, August 4, 2006) The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Inspector General (IG) has issued an evaluation report of the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), entitled Measuring the Impact of the Food Quality Protection Act: Challenges and Opportunities, in time for EPA’s August 3, 2006 final tolerance approval deadline for 231 food […]

Unions Say EPA Bends to Political Pressure

August 2, 2006 New York Times By MICHAEL JANOFSKY WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 – Unions representing thousands of staff scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency say the agency is bending to political pressure and ignoring sound science in allowing a group of toxic chemicals to be used in agricultural pesticides. Leaders of several federal employee […]

States to EPA: Label all hazards in pesticides

http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/08/01/states_to_epa_label_all_hazards_in_pesticides?mode=PF By Michael Gormley, Associated Press Writer | August 1, 2006 ALBANY, N.Y. –Fourteen states including Connecticut moved on Tuesday to force the Bush administration to require manufacturers to disclose even “inert” ingredients that the state officials say pose an undisclosed health hazard in pesticides. The federal Environmental Protection Agency requires “active” toxic […]

EU Proposes Tougher Rules on Pesticides

July 13, 2006, By Associated Press BRUSSELS, Belgium, The European Commission proposed stricter rules Wednesday to regulate the use of pesticides including mandatory record-keeping of their use by farmers and a ban on aerial spraying. EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said tougher rules were needed to improve protection of the environment […]

EPA Scientists Protest Pending Pesticide Approvals Unacceptable Risk to Children and Political Pressure on Scientists Decried

By: Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Published: May 25, 2006 at 08:06 In an unprecedented action, representatives for thousands of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientists are publicly objecting to imminent agency approval for a score of powerful, controversial pesticides, according to a letter released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The scientists […]

Quebec beefs up pesticide ban.

Implementing the toughest rules in North America, a new era in pesticide use has begun in Quebec with the banning of many domestic products that have chemicals considered toxic to humans and the environment. Montreal Gazette, Quebec. IRWIN BLOCK, Montreal Gazette Tuesday, April 04, 2006 A new era in pesticide use has begun in […]

Scientists union opposes EPA’s pesticide-test plan

Proposal on human experimentation raises ethical concerns, agency employees say By Andrew Schneider Baltimore Sun reporter Originally published December 8, 2005 The union representing scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency added its voice yesterday to critics who are protesting the agency’s proposed rule for human experimentation in testing pesticides. The rule, which Congress ordered […]

Children’s Advisers Ask EPA To Boost Ban On Child Pesticide Testing

Johnson, who is working to shepherd a rule that allows limited third-party human pesticide exposure studies through the agency on an expedited basis, already faces pressure following similar concerns raised by congressional leaders and environmentalists‚ the agency is moving to allow submission of studies involving human subjects from other realms, such as academia or […]

Public Interest Groups Ask Government To Ban Common Households Products Containing Controversial Germ-Fighting Ingredient

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 25, 2005 Contact: Jay Feldman, Beyond Pesticides, 202-543-5450 Lara Cushing, Center for Environmental Health, 510-594-9864 http://www.beyondpesticides.org Public interest groups today petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the antibacterial agent triclosan in household products because of evidence that it causes health and environmental effects and leads to antibiotic […]

Exceptions in new EPA rules would allow testing pesticides on children

By Andrew Schneider Sun National Staff Originally published September 14, 2005 WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules on human testing, which the agency said last week would “categorically” protect children and pregnant women from pesticide testing, include numerous exemptions – including one that specifically allows testing of children who have been “abused […]

California Officials Cancel Aerial Spraying

(Beyond Pesticides, June 23, 2005) California state officials abruptly cancelled the program to spray pesticides to combat the light brown apple moth (LBAM). This move came after months of protests by residents over concerns that the chemicals in the pheromone-based pesticide may adversely impact their health and the environment. California’s Agriculture Secretary, A.G. Kawamura, […]

Secret EPA Deal To Abandon Year-End Ban of Deadly Pesticide Dursban

(Beyond Pesticides, December 20, 2004) EPA is secretly negotiating a Christmas present for the Dow Chemical Company that allows continued production and use of its controversial pesticide chlorpyrifos (Dursban) for home termite use three years beyond an announced phase-out, which was to begin December 31, 2004. The agency, according to inside sources, appears poised […]

Bush Administration Submits Brief to Supreme Court in FIFRA Preemption Case

(Beyond Pesticides, December 10, 2004) The Supreme Court has agreed to review Bates v. Dow AgroSciences, LLC, a case involving the ability of victims to sue manufacturers for damages caused by pesticides registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The case involves Texas peanut farmers, who allege that the Dow herbicide Strongarm (diclosulam) ruined […]

EPA Suspends Study on Kids And Pesticides

By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, November 10, 2004; Page A06 Environmental Protection Agency has suspended a controversial study aimed at exploring how infants and toddlers absorb pesticides and other household chemicals, officials said yesterday. Several rank-and-file EPA scientists had questioned the ethics of the two-year experiment, which would have given the […]

Study of Pesticides and Children Stirs Protests; Staffers Fear EPA Project Endangers Participants

By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, October 30, 2004; Page A02 An Environmental Protection Agency proposal to study young children’s exposure to pesticides has sparked a flurry of internal agency protests, with several career officials questioning whether the survey will harm vulnerable infants and toddlers. The EPA announced this month that it […]

Chemical Industry Funds Aid EPA Study Effect of Substances on Children Probed

By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, October 26, 2004; Page A23 The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to accept $2 million from the American Chemistry Council to help fund a study exploring the impact of pesticides and household chemicals on young children, prompting an outcry from environmentalists. The Children’s Environmental Exposure Research […]

EPA Rejects Recommendations For Stricter Protections On Childrens Health

(Beyond Pesticides, July 14, 2004) EPA’s Science Advisory Board suggests that EPA protections for children from carcinogenic chemicals should apply to all carcinogens, not just those that cause genetic damage, according to a July 9, 2004 article in InsideEPA. On March 3, 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft of their […]

U.S. Population Burdened With High Levels of Pesticides In Their Bodies

(Beyond Pesticides, May 12, 2004) Many U.S. residents carry toxic pesticides in their bodies above government assessed “acceptable” levels, the highest being children, women and Mexican Americans, according to a report, Chemical Trespass: Pesticides in Our Bodies and Corporate Accountability, released May 11, 2004 by Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA). The report makes […]

Montreal Will Ban Cosmetic Use Pesticides

(Beyond Pesticides, March 12, 2004) According to the CBC, Canada’s national public broadcaster, the City of Montreal is set to ban almost all cosmetic use of chemical pesticides, saying the new rules could be in place in some parts of the city this summer. According to city officials, the new bylaw is one of […]

Monarch migration across Texas smallest in 14 years

Associated Press AUSTIN- The annual migration of monarch butterflies that crosses Texas en route to Central Mexico is the smallest in 14 years, experts say. Hundreds of millions of the large, colorful butterflies migrate to near Mexico City from the United States and Canada each fall. But herbicides, changing farming practices and weather are […]