US Environmental Protection Agency - Insecticide a risk for workers and drinking water

About the US Environmental Protection Agency

The US Environmental Protection Agency was created with the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by creating and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress. This agency was founded in 2 December 1970 since then it has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for people. The acronym used for naming this agency is EPA.

Insecticide a risk for workers and drinking water

Monday 5th of January 2015, EPA released a new risk evaluation for public comment. Even if currently pesticide is no longer contaminating food and it is not an airborne thread for workers currently ones who mix, load and apply pesticide are still at risk.

Chlorpyrifos is a crystalline organophosphate insecticide, which was commonly used an insecticide on crops, golf courses, and in the home, has been known to have a negative impact on the growth and development of the brain and the children's central nervous system. This insecticide may also contaminate drinking water.

Fifteen years ago, EPA banned the household use of chlorpyrifos. It can now only be used as bait in child-proof packaging. Though formerly sprayed on tomatoes, apples, citrus fruits and tree nuts, EPA imposed no-spray rules, created buffer zones around public spaces and lowered pesticide application rates.

From the newly risk evaluation we can deduce that more restrictions should be applied to protect worker's health and drinking water sources as the pesticide undergoes its registration review.