Environmental Protection Agency plans stricter rules on pesticide applicators

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to strengthen its certification requirements for pesticide applicators to protect bees and other pollinators the latest effort by the agency to limit pollinators' exposure to the chemicals. EPA also is weighing changes to how it assesses the risks that pesticides pose to pollinators but the revised applicator certification requirements action likely will precede that because the changes have broad support and can be implemented quickly.

Tom Moriarty, a team leader in EPA's Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division, recently announced plans for the new certification requirements at the spring meeting of the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials in Arlington, Va. He said EPA is planning to revise its rules governing certification of pesticide applicators to include requirements for better training for spraying in a way that is protective of bees. Along with the new rules, which will need to be adopted by the states after federal approval, EPA also will issue an updated training manual. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.