On February 4, Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) announced plans to introduce legislation to ban chlorpyrifos, a pesticide that is known to cause harm to human health, as well as to wildlife and water supplies, yet continues to be utilized across millions of acres of farmland in the United States.

Sen. Santarsiero serves as the Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

The proposed legislation calls attention to the fact that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended the banning of chlorpyrifos nearly five years ago, following studies linking the pesticide with various health issues.

EPA found that children who eat produce sprayed with the pesticide can end up ingesting levels of the toxin 140 times what is considered to be safe.

[The Trump Administration’s EPA now does not support a ban.]

“Chlorpyrifos is causing significant harm to children, farm workers, and communities all across Pennsylvania and the United States,” said Sen. Santarsiero. “We know the facts and have seen the results, yet we still choose to ignore the irreparable damage being inflicted upon countless people with the continued use of this pesticide.

“California, the top agricultural state in the country, banned the registration of chlorpyrifos, as did the entire European Union,” added Sen. Santarsiero.  “It’s long overdue for Pennsylvania to make the same decision and put the health of our residents first.”

[After February 6, 2020, sales of the pesticide will end in California.  Hawaii and New York are phasing in chlorpyrifos bans.]

Click Here for a copy of the co-sponsor memo.

Sen. Steve Santarsiero can be contacted by calling 717-787-7305 or sending email to: senatorsantarsiero@pasenate.com.

NewsClips:

California Bans Popular Pesticide Linked To Brain Damage In Children

Click Here To Catch Up On All PA Environment & Energy NewsClips

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[Posted: February 4, 2020]

2/10/2020