EPA, Pesticides, and Children’s Health

Over sixty years ago, environmental activist Rachel Carson called pesticides used on food crops “elixirs of death.” Experts have linked exposure to pesticides to severe health conditions, including cancer and diabetes, and have warned that children are especially vulnerable to these consequences.

The U.S. Congress sought to protect children from pesticides by enacting the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), which directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to limit children’s exposure to pesticides found in foods.

In a recent article, Valerie Watnick and Sarah Beaumont argue that EPA has failed to safeguard children’s health in enforcing the FQPA. Watnick and Beaumont propose reforms that the agency can adopt to protect children.