Take Action: Tell EPA to Ban Hazardous Insecticide for Farmworkers and the Environment

Thousands of pounds of apples, pears and cherries are still grown with highly toxic, old-era pesticides. That’s because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an astounding history of negotiating multi-year phase-outs with industry, placing economic interests over the protection of the health of the public, especially those who grow and harvest these crops. Despite a 2006 cancellation of the highly toxic azinphos-methyl (AZM), which allowed for a six-year phase out that is scheduled to conclude this September, EPA, under industry pressure, may rescind its final decision and extend the phase-out period.

Tell EPA today to stand by its decision and ban AZM once and for all:

Subject:

Your Letter:

Dear Administrator Lisa Jackson,

The organophosphate azinphos-methyl (AZM) has proven to be highly toxic to farmworker health and aquatic life. This chemical must not be allowed to remain on the U.S. market. Your agency should follow through with its final decision to ban AZM by September 2012, and not be swayed by industry claims that alternatives are burdensome. By extending the phase-out, EPA will be setting a bad precedent that its decisions are irresolute, subject to industry pressure, while eroding its authority over pesticide regulation as set forth by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Farmers have multiple alternatives that have replaced AZM in recent years without much impact. In fact, a 2010 analysis conducted in Washington State found that the ban on AZM only had limited effect on sales, prices, and employment in the apple industry with a negligible impact on the overall state’s economy.

EPA has found that AZM is a highly neurotoxic organophosphate insecticide. AZM, like other organophosphates, attack the human brain and nervous system. Exposure can cause dizziness, vomiting, convulsions, numbness in the limbs, loss of intellectual function, and death. AZM poses risks to farmworkers, water quality, and aquatic ecosystems. Its continued use in agriculture, found to present unreasonable adverse effects for farmworkers and their children, is an environmental justice issue.

EPA should work to maintain public confidence in its actions and not reverse its decision to remove this hazardous AZM from the market by September 30, 2012.

Lisa Jackson

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

AZM Comments

EPA

Azinphos-methyl, (AZM) is a highly neurotoxic organophosphate insecticide. Like other organophosphates, AZM attacks the nervous system. AZM poses risks to farmworkers, water quality, and aquatic ecosystems. AZM runoff is responsible for killing up to a million fish, along with turtles, alligators, snakes and birds.

In November 2006, EPA agreed and decided that AZM poses unreasonable adverse effects and issued a final decision to cancel AZM, but allowed continued use on some fruit crops for six more years –until 2012. But due to industry pressure, EPA is reviewing new benefit analyses to determine whether to keep in place or extend the cancellation order that becomes effective on September 30, 2012. Industry insists that an AZM ban places undue economic burden on farmers despite real evidence to the contrary.

Tell EPA not to reverse its decision to end AZM use.

For more information, see Beyond Pesticides' Daily News Blog