On this edition of Your Call's One Planet Series, we're discussing the EPA's move to roll back the regulation of PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, for use on food.
Last month, the EPA approved new pesticides containing PFAS, for use on a wide range of crops, including, but not limited to, romaine lettuce, broccoli, potatoes, corn, soybeans, and wheat.
PFAS are a class of about 16,000 compounds most frequently used to make water-, stain- and grease-resistant products. They have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease, and a range of other serious health problems.
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, under the Trump administration, the pesticide office is controlled by two former lobbyists for the American Chemistry Council, Nancy Beck and Lynn Dekleva, and one former lobbyist for the pro-pesticide American Soybean Association, Kyle Kunkler.
Guest:
Mariah Blake, investigative journalist and author of They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals
Resources:
The Center for Biological Diversity: Trump EPA Approves Its Second ‘Forever Chemical’ Pesticide in Two Weeks
The New York Times: From Industry to E.P.A.: Lobbyist Now Oversees Pesticide Rules
Time: The EPA Is Embracing PFAS Pesticides. These Are The Health Risks
