USDA Faults EPA Use Of Epidemiological Data In Draft Pesticide Reviews

摘要

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is faulting EPA's use of epidemiological data to retain an added safety factor in assessing risks of organophosphate (OP) pesticides, calling the move "a major departure" from existing policy, as industry has, and arguing EPA reversed its position on whether use of a controversial study is appropriate. EPA recently took comment on a document describing its use of epidemiological data to support retaining a 10X safety factor in risk reviews of OP pesticides. The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) requires the safety factor when EPA sets allowable levels of pesticide residues on food to protect children unless adequate data shows it is unnecessary.