From The Washington Post…..
The Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with approvals for pesticides containing “forever chemicals” as an active ingredient, dismissing concerns about health and environmental impacts raised by some scientists and activists.
This month, the agency approved two new pesticides that meet the internationally recognized definition for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or fluorinated substances, and has announced plans for four additional approvals. The authorized pesticides, cyclobutrifluram and isocycloseram, which was approved Thursday, will be used on vegetables such as romaine lettuce, broccoli and potatoes.
The agency also announced plans to relax a rule requiring companies to report all products containing PFAS and has proposed weakening drinking water standards for the chemicals.
“Many fluorinated compounds registered or proposed for U.S. pesticidal use in recent years offer unique benefits for farmers, users, and the public,” EPA spokeswoman Brigit Hirsch said in a statement.
Scientists and watchdog groups caution that much remains unknown about the health and environmental effects of fluorinated pesticides. PFAS have been linked to several kinds of cancer, birth defects, and damage to the liver and immune system, among other health problems.
The EPA approved at least one fluorinated pesticide during President Joe Biden’s administration, according to Hirsch. But beyond that, such applications were deprioritized under the Biden administration because of concerns about potential accumulation in the body and persistence in the environment….
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