19
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 19, 2025) While still the exception rather than the norm, a growing movement of Christmas tree farmers across the United States is demonstrating that organically managed systems can also be applied when choosing a tree during this holiday season. Health and environmental advocates across the country are calling for a transition away from toxic pesticide dependency during the holiday season. Beyond Pesticides maintains a webpage, Christmas Trees and Pesticides, and Center for Biological Diversity and Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a “special review of pesticides used on Christmas trees.” The groups sent a letter on December 4, the day the National Christmas Tree was lit at the White House, specifically citing the need to review the pesticides chlorpyrifos, carbaryl, dimethoate, bifenthrin, chlorothalonil, glyphosate, hexazinone, imidacloprid, simazine, and 2,4-D, among others. Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States, with Christmas trees grown on Christmas tree farms being brought into homes as part of the celebration. On average, Americans purchase 25 to 30 million Christmas trees annually, according to the National Christmas Tree Association; however, certified organic […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Abamectin, Azadirachtin, Bifenthrin, Carbaryl, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Chlorothalonil, Chlorpyrifos, clopyralid, Department of Health and Human Services, Diflubenzuron, Dimethoate, dinotefuron, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), esfenvalerate, flupyradifurone, Fungicides, Glyphosate, Herbicides, hexazinone, Holidays, Imidacloprid, Insecticides, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, lambda-cyhalothrin, Malathion, mancozeb, Oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Permethrin, pymetrozine, simazine, spinosad, spirodiclofen, Sulfometuron methyl, tebufenozide, Thiamethoxam, Triclopyr, Uncategorized | No Comments »
16
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 16, 2012) The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has released a draft Biological Opinion finding that three commonly used herbicides are increasing the chance of extinction for threatened and endangered Pacific salmon and steelhead runs. The NMFS assessment reverses earlier assurances from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the pesticides are “not likely to adversely affect” the dwindling salmon populations. The draft Opinion also contains restrictions on applying the three pesticides near waterways in California, Washington, Oregon and Idaho that provide habitat for the threatened and endangered runs. Public comment on the draft is being accepted through April 30 and the restrictions on applying the pesticides will take effect no later than one year after the final assessment is released. NMFS prepared the draft Opinion in response to EPA’s initial assessment of the risk that current uses of the herbicides oryzalin, pendimethalin and trifluralin pose for the threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead species. NMFS’ findings contradict significant conclusions from EPA’s work and highlight weaknesses in the agency’s current ecological risk assessment process that underestimate risk and fail to meet modern standards of analysis. For example, NMFS cites EPA’s failure to provide any analysis of […]
Posted in California, Idaho, Oregon, Oryzalin, Pendimethalin, Trifluralin, Washington, Water, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
