TELL THE EPA: PROTECT US FROM TOXIC PESTICIDES!
EWG and Friends of the Earth are joining forces to demand that the Environmental Protection Agency update its far outdated pesticide residue standards and set stronger limits that will protect children from the dangerous effects of toxic pesticides.
The EPA’s so-called “tolerance levels” permit far too many pesticides to remain on the fruits and vegetables we eat. Many levels were set more than 10 years ago and do not account for newer research showing that toxic chemicals can be harmful at very small doses, particularly when people are exposed to combinations of chemicals.
If pesticide tolerance levels were set to protect the health of children, who are more vulnerable than adults to small doses of these chemicals, more fruits and vegetables would fail EPA standards. The current EPA pesticide tolerances are like having a 500 mph speed limit – if the rules of the road are so loose it’s impossible to violate them, no one can feel safe.
Add your name to EWG and Friends of the Earth’s petition today: Help us reach 50,000 signatures demanding the EPA update its pesticide safety standards NOW!
As a supporter of EWG and Friends of the Earth, I urge the Environmental Protection Agency to update its far outdated pesticide tolerance levels and set stronger limits that will protect children.
The EPA’s tolerance levels are too lenient to protect public health. They are a yardstick to help the agency’s personnel determine whether farmers are applying pesticides properly. Many levels were set years ago and do not account for newer research showing that toxic chemicals can be harmful at very small doses, particularly when people are exposed to combinations of chemicals.
Please stand up for the health of our children and reevaluate pesticide tolerance levels immediately.
Environmental Working Group
Friends of the Earth
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