EPA Denies Activists' Petition to Cancel Chlorpyrifos

Following a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review, chlorpyrifos will stay on the market. The insecticide has been on the market for more than 50 years and is used in close to 100 countries on 50 crops.

In 2007 Dow AgroSciences’ chlorpyrifos were forced into an early review when two activist groups filed a petition with EPA to revoke tolerances and cancel EPA registrations for the product in 2007.

“In response to the petition, EPA initiated the registration review of chlorpyrifos,” says Phil Jost, Dow AgroSciences U.S. insecticides marketing leader. “The agency was not statutorily required to complete another review of chlorpyrifos until 2022.”

Dow applauds EPA’s decision to deny the petition to revoke U.S. food tolerances and cancel chlorpyrifos registration.

“Dow AgroSciences remains confident that authorized uses of chlorpyrifos products offer wide margins of protection for human health and safety,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We will continue to cooperate with EPA under the established regulatory process in its scientific review of this vital crop protection solution.”

Pesticide registration relies on science, and some in the industry are encouraged by EPA’s science-based decision.

"NCGA supports transparent, science-based oversight of pesticides. We are encouraged by the EPA's decision because it signals a return to these standards and procedures," says Wesley Spurlock, National Corn Growers Association president. “Farmers need access to many crop protection tools to ensure all tools can remain effective."