OAKLAND, February 11, 2025 — California’s Attorney General, Rob Bonta, is taking a stand against the pesticide chlorpyrifos. Along with eight other state attorneys general, he submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The letter criticizes the EPA’s recent proposal, which would only ban chlorpyrifos residue on 70 food crops while still allowing it on 11 others, including alfalfa, apples, and strawberries.
Bonta emphasizes that chlorpyrifos is dangerous, especially to children. “The facts are clear: exposure to chlorpyrifos is harmful to kids’ health. We need to remove this pesticide from our food supply entirely,” he said. California has already banned this pesticide on all food crops since late 2020, but contamination from imported foods remains a concern.
This pesticide is known to cause serious health issues. Children exposed to it may face lower birth weights, reduced IQ, and developmental delays. Even short-term exposure can lead to severe symptoms like sweating, nausea, and seizures.
The EPA is required by law to ensure that any exposure to chlorpyrifos is safe, but the attorneys general argue they have not met this standard. They claim the agency is mistakenly placing the burden of proof on those who want to ban the pesticide rather than demonstrating its safety for the remaining crops.
In their letter, Bonta and his colleagues urge the EPA to remove chlorpyrifos from all food crops since the evidence does not support its safety for any level of exposure. They also question the agency’s assessment of safe thresholds for children.
Attorney General Bonta stands with attorneys general from New York, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia on this issue.
You can view the full letter here.
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