EPA Using Data on Pesticides from Human Testing

WASHINGTON -  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is again using industry data gathered from human tests to help set limits on pesticide levels in food and water, officials said last week.

The practice largely disregards the recommendations of a scientific panel the agency assembled in 1998 and follows a brief moratorium imposed, but largely ignored, by the Clinton administrations in response to criticism from physicians and environmentalists.

"It was a wink and a nod, now it's a full green light to do human tests with pesticides," said Richard Wiles, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group. "That's just going to open the floodgates to this industry."

Recent agency documents show the EPA is considering data from industry tests on humans. All the recent industry studies involving human tests were submitted by members of the American Crop Protection Association, said Angelina Duggan, science policy director.

"They're scientifically sound and the participants in these studies have agreed to participate," she explained.

EPA Assistant Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, who oversees the pesticides programs, said the agency recognizes human testing is "very controversial" but has not made a formal policy decision on the conduct or use of those studies.

More typically, the government uses the results of animal testing and multiplies that exposure level by 10 to establish an exposure level considered safe for humans. But, manufacturers have said human tests give more accurate results.

Various manufacturers contacted by Lawn & Landscape Online declined to comment.