EPA re-approves controversial weed killer atrazine, arguing benefits outweigh potential ecological risks

Atrazine is widely used in agriculture across a range of crops, primarily corn but also sugarcane and sorghum, as well as a smaller amount of use in landscape care.

As part of its routine re-registration review of atrazine, EPA has been releasing draft ecological and human health risk assessments in the past few years for public comment. Now the agency has published its proposed interim registration decision on atrazine and two related chemicals, propazine and simazine. The decision would re-register atrazine for continued use, albeit with some new rules ….

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“Although there are potential risks of concern associated with the use of atrazine, with the adoption of the mitigation measures … any remaining potential worker and/or ecological risks are outweighed by the benefits associated with use of atrazine,” the agency wrote in its proposed decision.

Read full, original article: EPA Pesticide Announcement