The Public Health Costs of Chlorpyrifos to Ensure Insect-Free Crops
Law & Policy InsightsEnvironment, Climate and HealthClimate and HealthSince 1965, chlorpyrifos has been a commonly used pesticide, and nearly six million pounds of it are used domestically each year on more than fifty different types of crops. Scientists have linked the pesticide to harmful effects in children and adults, including developmental damage to children’s brains, reduced intelligence levels, loss of working memory, and attention deficit disorders. A proposed a ban by the Environmental Protection Agency on the use of chlorpyrifos slated to go into effect in March, 2017 has been denied, leaving states to decide whether to take action to subject the pesticide to more stringent rules.