Biden EPA To Ban Chlorpyrifos, A Pesticide Linked To Brain Damage In Children

The Trump administration refused to take the chemical off the market, ignoring the recommendation of Environmental Protection Agency scientists.

The Biden administration will ban the use of chlorpyrifos on all food crops, citing potential risks to human health. The common insecticide has been applied to a variety of crops since the 1960s, including broccoli and cranberries, and has been linked to learning disabilities in children.  The Environmental Protection Agency announced the move on Wednesday, reversing a 2017 decision by the Trump administration. For years, agricultural giants and the chemical industry have battled with environmentalists, public health experts and farmworkers over the future use of the chemical. EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the move “overdue.”