EPA has published its Updated 2021 Human Health Benchmarks for Pesticides (HHBPs) in drinking water or source water and announced it will ban the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on all food.
EPA provides HHBPs for use by states, tribes, water systems, and the public to help determine whether the detection of a pesticide in drinking water or source water may indicate a potential health risk and to help prioritize monitoring efforts for pesticides without drinking water health advisories or drinking water standards. The 2021 Update includes toxicity values for 43 additional pesticides, for a total of 430 HHBPs. For more information and to view the Updated 2021 table, fact sheet, and technical document, visit the EPA website.
EPA is revoking all “tolerances” for chlorpyrifos, for the amount of a pesticide that is allowed on food, and will cancel registered food uses of chlorpyrifos under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Chlorpyrifos is used for a large variety of agricultural vegetables, fruits, and trees, and has been associated with potential neurological effects in children. This action aims to protect human health, and particularly the health of children and farmworkers. For more information, read the press release, and visit the EPA website.