EPA Further Restricts Chlorpyrifos Use

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday announced new measures designed to protect threatened and endangered species from the effects of the insecticide chlorpyrifos.

The measures announced include new product labels that contain additional protections and direct pesticide applicators to consult EPA's Bulletins Live! Two (BLT) website to access Endangered Species Protection Bulletins identifying pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs) for the use of chlorpyrifos. Here is the URL: https://www.epa.gov/….

"Collectively, these measures will not only protect listed species but also reduce exposure to non-listed species," EPA said in a news release.

EPA said it soon would issue a proposed rule to revoke the tolerances associated with all food uses, except 11 food and feed crop uses identified in a 2020 agency decision. Those crops include alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, peach, soybean, strawberry, sugar beet and wheat (spring and winter).

"At this time, all pre-August 2021 final rule chlorpyrifos tolerances have been reinstated and are currently in effect," EPA said.

"Based on the available data, retaining only the 11 food uses along with geographic limitations and additional mitigation measures could decrease average annual pounds of chlorpyrifos applied in the U.S. by 70% as compared to historical usage."

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide commonly used on agricultural crops and on nonfood sites such as ornamental plants in nurseries, golf course turf, or as wood treatment.

The mitigations for chlorpyrifos include restrictions on when to apply, on tank mixing, and use limitations related to both runoff and drift, as well as wind-speed restrictions.

"All registrants have submitted these product labeling amendments to EPA, as well as amendments describing how to report ecological incidents associated with pesticide applications, should users observe any," the agency said.

"It's great news that the EPA is restricting chlorpyrifos in endangered species habitat, but this toxic pesticide is far too dangerous to the environment and people's health to stop there," said Nathan Donley, environmental health science director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Chlorpyrifos is one of the most hazardous pesticides used in the United States. This brain-damaging poison threatens imperiled wildlife and farmworker communities. The EPA should permanently ban its use everywhere."

The registration review process for chlorpyrifos is ongoing, according to EPA. In 2025, the agency said it plans to issue an amended proposed interim decision for chlorpyrifos for public comment, followed by an interim decision in late 2025.

In 2022, the EPA finalized a rule effectively banning the use of chlorpyrifos among U.S. farmers. The rule was issued in response to an order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In November 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled the EPA rule was arbitrary and capricious in a lawsuit filed by agriculture groups led by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The Eighth Circuit's ruling cleared the way for the EPA to restore chlorpyrifos for the 2024 growing season.

The EPA issued an interim registration for the insecticide in December 2020 before the Ninth Circuit handed down its order in April 2021. That order led EPA to issue its food tolerance revocation.

In the December 2020 action by EPA, it found 11 high-benefit, low-risk crop uses for chlorpyrifos. That finding was the subject of the lawsuit in the Eighth Circuit.

Read more on DTN:

"Court Tosses EPA Chlorpyrifos Action," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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