The Environmental Protection Agency proposed new restrictions on the herbicide atrazine Dec. 19. U.S. farmers use about 72 million pounds of it annually, mostly on corn, sorghum and sugar cane.
"In a proposed interim final rule, EPA said it would impose new requirements to minimize workers' exposure to atrazine, including limiting applications on sod and reducing the amount combined with fertilizer," Marc Heller reports for Energy & Environment News. The agency also said it would bar atrazine from being sprayed in liquid form by airplane, which it says would reduce the risk of atrazine hitting waterways or wildlife.
"In a proposed interim final rule, EPA said it would impose new requirements to minimize workers' exposure to atrazine, including limiting applications on sod and reducing the amount combined with fertilizer," Marc Heller reports for Energy & Environment News. The agency also said it would bar atrazine from being sprayed in liquid form by airplane, which it says would reduce the risk of atrazine hitting waterways or wildlife.
"Environmentalists say EPA's plan weakens protections and would allow 50 percent more of the endocrine-disrupting herbicide linked to birth defects and cancer to end up in waterways," Heller reports. "Environmental groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity have pointed to bans on atrazine use in Europe and said EPA hasn't properly consulted with other federal agencies regarding compliance with the Endangered Species Act."
EPA also approved 10 pesticides for use on hemp, Heller reports.
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