This morning, the federal Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed interim decision to allow the re-registration of atrazine, an endocrine-disrupting herbicide.
Pesticide Action Network Staff Scientist Emily Marquez, Ph.D., issued the following statement in response to EPA’s decision:
“After announcing that they will weaken environmental safeguards around atrazine in November, EPA is now announcing a re-registration of atrazine, in spite of ample evidence that we can’t keep this endocrine disrupting pesticide out of our waterways.
Unfortunately, this likely means that we will see a lot more atrazine in our waterways and drinking water, especially in the Midwest where atrazine is heavily used. Even before increasing the amount of atrazine the levels considered “safe” for aquatic organisms, atrazine’s known effects include disruption of reproductive development and behavior in frogs and other vertebrates.”
Media contact:
Ahna Kruzic, ahna@panna.org
(510) 927-5379
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Pesticide Action Network works to create a just, thriving food system. PAN works alongside those on the frontlines of pesticide exposure — from farmworkers to rural communities to beekeepers. PAN links local and international consumer, labor, health, environment and agriculture groups into an international citizens’ action network. Together, we challenge the global proliferation of pesticides, defend basic rights to health and environmental quality, and work to ensure the transition to a just and viable food system.
