The National Academy of Sciences released a report today on how the California Department of Pesticide Regulation assesses the safety of pesticides. It found that DPR assessments are thorough, but not very timely. It typically takes six to ten years.
The report also says DPR needs to create a clearer process for ranking the hazard of pesticides and identifying which pesticides should take priority. Paul Tower with the Pesticide Action Network says the report confirms concerns the group has raised over the years.
Tower: “Over the past several years the Department has actually done risk assessments on pesticides that are no longer used, or rarely used, and instead of focusing on those that appear to be the most hazardous to health or pesticides that are known to cause endocrine disruption.”
In a statement, DPR says it’s pleased that the report recognized its risk assessment process is comprehensive, and that its pesticide-exposure assessments are among the most thorough in the world.
