EPA considers prohibiting use of 72 chemicals in pesticides

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to remove 72 chemicals form the list of substances that can be used as ingredients in pesticides.

The move comes in response to calls by the Center for Environmental Health, physicians, and others across the U.S. for the EPA to propose rules mandating companies disclose the 371 ingredients found in pesticide products.

{mosads}The EPA decided on a different route aimed at reducing the amount of hazardous chemicals in pesticides.

“We are taking action to ensure that these ingredients are not added to any pesticide products unless they have been fully vetted by EPA,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. 

“This is the first major step in our strategy to reduce risks from pesticides containing potentially hazardous inert ingredients,” Jones added.

A majority of the 72 chemical targeted by the EPA are on the list of 371 inert ingredients — also considered inactive chemicals — identified as hazardous by the environmental groups.

The EPA will take comments on the proposal until Nov. 21.