EPA seeks to limit use of pesticide chlorpyrifos in food

Chlorpyrifos is banned in places like the European Union and a handful of U.S. states due to its links to brain damage in children. The insecticide is a type of organophosphate, a class of chemicals that were repurposed as nerve agents by the Germans in World War II.

The EPA attempted to ban chlorpyrifos in 2021 after a federal court ruled the agency must prohibit the chemical or find a way to regulate it. That ban was overturned in 2023 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, which said the agency didn’t consider whether it could allow some uses of chlorpyrifos to continue.

EPA’s latest restrictions revoke all tolerances for chlorpyrifos, except for exempted crops. Tolerances establish the amount of pesticide allowed on food, and a revocation effectively bans its use.

Still, the announcement is somewhat symbolic. Since 2022, manufacturers have already voluntarily agreed to stop producing chlorpyrifos except for the 11 crops in question.

The 11 crops exempted from the rule made up about 55% of total chlorpyrifos usage on agricultural commodities from 2014 to 2018, prior to the EPA’s first attempt at a ban. However, the EPA also said the new restrictions could decrease the average annual pounds of chlorpyrifos applied in the U.S. by 70% compared to historical usage.

Growers allowed to use chlorpyrifos still face additional restrictions based on their location. The EPA will again review registration for chlorpyrifos in 2026, at which point the agency could again try to ban the chemical or add more restrictions.

Young children prenatally exposed to high levels of chlorpyrifos were significantly more likely to experience cognitive and physical delays, according to studies from Columbia University. The chemical is also linked to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

“The newly proposed restrictions are a step forward, but they fall short of fully protecting children, farmworkers, and our food supply,” Patti Goldman, attorney at Earthjustice, said in a statement. “Unless the EPA acts quickly to finalize proposed food bans on chlorpyrifos and other organophosphates, it will leave children without desperately needed protections.”