‘Bill of Rights’ seeks to protect consumers as Congress weighs federal pesticide policy law
WASHINGTON – Consumers deserve to be protected from pesticides, and Congress should reject any pesticide legislation that fails to do so.
Today the Environmental Working Group and Consumer Reports unveiled their Consumer Pesticide Safety Bill of Rights to ensure that any federal pesticide legislation protects the public, including children.
Consumers too often lack basic information about pesticides used in their homes, communities and in food, and lack meaningful protections when those chemicals put their health at risk.
The Consumer Pesticide Safety Bill of Rights declares Americans’ right to:
- Warnings on the products people bring into their homes, including the right to know whether a pesticide is linked to cancer and other health harms.
- Know if a toxic pesticide that can make people sick is being sprayed nearby.
- Know that the food people feed their children is subject to the toughest pesticide safety standards.
- Expect that children are protected from toxic pesticides when they are at school or playing in local parks.
- Expect that U.S. pesticide regulators will act quickly to review toxic pesticides when other nations ban them.
- Be informed about where pesticides have been used, when they’ve been mishandled, and how much is being detected in Americans’ food and water.
- Seek justice when pesticides have caused harm.
“Consumers deserve to know if the pesticides we bring into our homes or that have been sprayed nearby might make us sick,” said EWG Legislative Director Geoff Horsfield.
“We should be confident our children are safe when they’re at school and confident their food is subject to the toughest safety standards,” he added.
“Our current pesticide laws fall short of giving consumers the information and protections they need to protect their families,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports. “This Bill of Rights is a roadmap for making the food we eat and the communities we live in safer.”
The Consumer Pesticide Safety Bill of Rights addresses long-running gaps in pesticide protection.
Few states require farmers or commercial pesticide companies to publicly notify when they’re spraying these chemicals. Warnings on household pesticide products are often inadequate. And many pesticides found on food children commonly eat aren’t subject to the strictest safety standards.
Only a handful of states require buffers to protect kids at school from exposure to toxic pesticides, and standards vary regarding pesticides that can be used in school buildings or on school grounds.
Many pesticides used in the U.S. have been banned by other nations. But the EPA can take decades to restrict pesticides. Consumers also lack basic information about pesticide use, spills and detections on food and water.
Exacerbating an already problematic situation, the Supreme Court recently acted to limit access to the courts for people harmed by pesticides.
The Consumer Pesticide Safety Bill of Rights tackles many of these issues head-on, and lawmakers may soon have a chance to incorporate it into legislation.
Congress could consider renewing the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act as early as December. The current law, through which the chemical industry negotiates fees that fund EPA’s pesticide reviews, is set to expire next September.
“Congress should reject any new pesticide law that fails to protect consumers,” said Horsfield. “We should expect our kids to be safe from toxic pesticides. We deserve to know when pesticides could make us sick. And we should be able to seek justice in court when pesticides do make us sick.”
“The renewal of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act is a critical opportunity to deliver meaningful protections for Americans, including clearer warnings and greater transparency about where these chemicals are used and when they’re detected in our food and water,” said Ronholm.
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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. Visit www.ewg.org for more information.
Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports (CR) has a mission to help build a fair and just marketplace for all. The nonprofit CR is widely known for its rigorous research, testing, and reviews of thousands of products and services. CR advocates for consumer rights and protections, reports extensively on consumer issues, and surveys millions of people every year. CR is nonpartisan and independent, and it accepts no advertising. Learn more at www.consumerreports.org
Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org