The Environmental Protection Agency is putting quicker protections in place for farmworkers, their families, and the general public near where pesticides are applied. EPA will now assess the potential for people to be exposed to a pesticide when it drifts away from where it’s applied earlier in the agency’s review process. This applies to new active ingredient pesticide registrations and new use decisions. This updated process will protect people from pesticide spray drift 15 years sooner in the review process for new pesticides than has historically occurred.
“People who live and work near farms can unintentionally be exposed to pesticides, and it’s our job to do as much as possible to prevent that from happening,” says Michael Freedhoff of the EPA. “This new policy ensures that vital public health protections are in place when a pesticide is initially approved so people don’t have to wait years for the protections they need.”
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