16. PESTICIDES: EPA is asked to halt imports of food containing banned chemicals (08/04/2009)

Sara Goodman, E&E reporter

A conservation group is asking U.S. EPA to ban imported crops containing residues of 13 pesticides banned or restricted in the United States.

The American Bird Conservancy says EPA is obligated under the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to ensure that U.S. birds that migrate to Latin America, where the pesticides are still used, are not harmed.

"Allowing residues of these hazardous pesticides on imported food gives tacit U.S. approval to foreign countries to use chemicals that are known to be deadly to U.S. migratory birds," said Michael Fry, the group's director of conservation advocacy.

The petition targets cadusafos, cyproconazole, diazinon, dithianon, diquat, dimethoate, fenamiphos, mevinphos, methomyl, naled, phorate, terbufos and dichlorvos. Those chemicals are used on coffee, bananas, citrus crops and other fruits and vegetables.

Fry said his group is taking a new approach to try to eliminate dangerous pesticides from the market. In 2006, the group petitioned EPA to revoke application permits for carbofuran because of its impact on birds and other wildlife. That was successful, and EPA has banned all carbofuran residues on fruits and vegetables.

"This is kind of a new tack for trying to remove some of worst pesticides from the market," spokesman Steve Holmer said. "With these, we have a ban here, but they're still being used overseas, and since a lot of the birds we're trying to protect are migratory, they could be poisoned down there. If countries can no longer import, they won't want to use those chemicals."

EPA did not respond to requests for comment.

Click here to read the petition.