Get Neurotoxins Out of Our Food
- by: Center for Biological Diversity
- recipient: The Environmental Protection Agency
Once used in chemical warfare, organophosphate pesticides are now sprayed on the fruits, vegetables and grains that we eat, ranging from watermelons to lettuce leaves. These pesticides are toxic to humans and other animals, just as they are to insects, their intended targets.
Organophosphate poisoning has resulted in the death of more than 335,000 birds in North America. And those are just the deaths that have been documented and we know about.
It doesn't have to be this way. Organophosphates are not compatible with sustainable food production, nor are they necessary for high crop yields. They're simply a relic of the past, a reminder of what happens when the unthinkable becomes the new normal.
The EPA has the power to change this, but it needs public pressure to do the right thing. Urge the agency to make good on its promise to phase out these toxic pesticides.
Organophosphate poisoning has resulted in the death of more than 335,000 birds in North America. And those are just the deaths that have been documented and we know about.
It doesn't have to be this way. Organophosphates are not compatible with sustainable food production, nor are they necessary for high crop yields. They're simply a relic of the past, a reminder of what happens when the unthinkable becomes the new normal.
The EPA has the power to change this, but it needs public pressure to do the right thing. Urge the agency to make good on its promise to phase out these toxic pesticides.
Subject: Time to Phase Out All Organophosphates
I am writing to urge you to ban the use of all organophosphates. These neurotoxins lethally inhibit brain and muscle function in humans and other animals, and the neuronal signaling pathway that organophosphates disrupt in insects is present in all other animals. Therefore, these chemicals show little, if any, specificity for insects. The EPA should phase out these dangerous pesticides and reject any re-registration of organophosphates because there are much safer chemical and nonchemical alternatives available.
[Your comment will be added here]
As you know, fetuses, infants and toddlers are most at risk from organophosphates because their nervous system hasn't yet fully developed. This led the National Research Council to conclude that "exposure to neurotoxic compounds at levels believed to be safe for adults could result in permanent loss of brain function if it occurred during the prenatal and early childhood period of brain development."
Every organophosphate risk assessment that the EPA is currently reviewing -- including for chlorpyrifos-methyl, dicrotophos, dimethoate, ethoprop, profenofos, terbufos and tribufos -- identifies levels of concern that are exceeded for humans, and all but chlorpyrifos-methyl identifies levels of concern that are exceeded for wildlife. For organophosphates, a high toxicity risk is not the exception. It's the rule. When risk of toxicity is exceeded by nearly every single metric in a risk assessment, it's a sure indication that these pesticides can't be safely used. This is no better exemplified than the EPA's recent move to revoke all food tolerances of the most widely used organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos.
A ban on all organophosphate use on food and other crops is necessary, and there are plenty of alternatives that can serve as replacements. The EPA is constantly approving new pesticides and touting Integrative Pest Management techniques as a way to phase out older, more toxic chemicals and reduce pesticide use. It's time to start taking action; organophosphates no longer have a role to play in pest management. I urge you to systematically and immediately begin phasing out all chemicals in this class, including chlorpyrifos-methyl, dicrotophos, dimethoate, ethoprop, profenofos, terbufos and tribufos.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Sign PetitionSign PetitionI am writing to urge you to ban the use of all organophosphates. These neurotoxins lethally inhibit brain and muscle function in humans and other animals, and the neuronal signaling pathway that organophosphates disrupt in insects is present in all other animals. Therefore, these chemicals show little, if any, specificity for insects. The EPA should phase out these dangerous pesticides and reject any re-registration of organophosphates because there are much safer chemical and nonchemical alternatives available.
[Your comment will be added here]
As you know, fetuses, infants and toddlers are most at risk from organophosphates because their nervous system hasn't yet fully developed. This led the National Research Council to conclude that "exposure to neurotoxic compounds at levels believed to be safe for adults could result in permanent loss of brain function if it occurred during the prenatal and early childhood period of brain development."
Every organophosphate risk assessment that the EPA is currently reviewing -- including for chlorpyrifos-methyl, dicrotophos, dimethoate, ethoprop, profenofos, terbufos and tribufos -- identifies levels of concern that are exceeded for humans, and all but chlorpyrifos-methyl identifies levels of concern that are exceeded for wildlife. For organophosphates, a high toxicity risk is not the exception. It's the rule. When risk of toxicity is exceeded by nearly every single metric in a risk assessment, it's a sure indication that these pesticides can't be safely used. This is no better exemplified than the EPA's recent move to revoke all food tolerances of the most widely used organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos.
A ban on all organophosphate use on food and other crops is necessary, and there are plenty of alternatives that can serve as replacements. The EPA is constantly approving new pesticides and touting Integrative Pest Management techniques as a way to phase out older, more toxic chemicals and reduce pesticide use. It's time to start taking action; organophosphates no longer have a role to play in pest management. I urge you to systematically and immediately begin phasing out all chemicals in this class, including chlorpyrifos-methyl, dicrotophos, dimethoate, ethoprop, profenofos, terbufos and tribufos.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
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