EPA chief Lee Zeldin said he hopes federal agencies will accelerate scientific safety assessments of various chemicals, including pesticides.

The EPA reportedly conducted more than 500 reviews of the proposed new pesticides and conducted more than 12,000 expired reassessments of the pesticides currently in use. The agency is under pressure from the chemical and agricultural industries to catch up, while health and environmental advocates are demanding that they maintain high safety standards.

The review process has a reason, so the review process is because the only real way Zeldin proposed is: reassign the staff so there are more people who can share the work.

As a land-granting faculty and staff at a land-granting university that examines the effectiveness of commercial and experimental pesticides in the southern United States, I have seen how the federal pesticide regulatory process determines risks to humans and the environment and mitigates them with specific instructions for use. This is how the process works.

First of all, what are pesticides?

EPA regulates pesticides in the United States, defining pesticides as substances or mixtures designed to prevent, eliminate, remove or mitigate any pests, such as weeds, insects, and organisms that attack plants.

Pesticides are often referred to as toxins when found in food, water, or other places where they are not intended. But just because discovering something doesn't mean it's harmful to humans or wildlife. Toxicity depends on the substance a person or animal faces, how it is exposed to the poison (such as breathing or putting it on the skin) and how long it takes.

The Ministry of Agriculture began to regulate pesticides in 1947 through the Federal Pesticides, Bactericides and Rodent Regulations. Much of the interest in the sector is whether specific pesticides are effective against target pests.

In 1970, the newly formed EPA took over the responsibility for pesticides. After the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act came into effect in 1972, it shifted its focus to consumers, migrant workers and the safety of the environment.

Risk and Benefit Analysis

Federal law requires EPA to assess the risks and benefits of each pesticide and revisit the analysis of each pesticide used in the United States every 15 years

The EPA determines whether the risks to people, animals, or the environment are too high, cannot reduce the benefits provided by pesticides and whether these risks can be reduced. Sometimes, environmental spread can be reduced by suggesting mitigation strategies (such as wearing protective clothing, by banning the use of pesticides near the edge of the property, or by reducing the amount of pesticides used by law, thereby reducing environmental transmission and thus reducing the risk of chemicals.

In an analysis of any given pesticide, the EPA requires extensive data from the manufacturer about the ingredients contained in the pesticide and how it works. The agency also reviewed scientific research on pesticides and used its own scientists and independent experts to evaluate any research submitted by manufacturers.

The EPA uses all available data on pesticides to evaluate doses that are toxic to various organisms, as well as residues that may remain in plants, soil and water. The data are integrated into computer models to estimate the potential amount of chemicals that may be in contact with humans, animals, and the environment. The results of these models are then combined with toxicity data to determine the risk.

The models used by EPA scientists are very conservative. They usually overestimate using a large amount of exposure, meaning that when the model determines that the risk of pesticides is below a certain level, they are evaluating a higher risk than the number of chemicals actually used. Therefore, the risk of actual amounts used is even smaller and the possibility of harm is less.

The EPA also provides the opportunity for public comments on pesticides and uses this information in its assessments as well.

Additional review

The Endangered Species Act also requires the EPA to evaluate the impact of pesticides on threatened and endangered species.

If pesticides are found to be potentially dangerous to protected species or their habitats, the EPA will discuss these findings with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, which enforce the Endangered Species Act and determine how to ensure that the species is not harmed.

The law reassessesses every 15 years the requirement of each pesticide is based on the fact that scientific developments and information becomes more precise. New data could shed light on potential risks and benefits, and even lead to banning pesticides or tighter restrictions.

For example, until recently, pesticide residues in plants, food and the environment were measured in millions of parts. Newer equipment can measure smaller quantities and determine parts as billions of parts, which is as precise as determining a second within 32 years. Certain chemicals can even be measured in a portion of every trillion dollars, equivalent to a drop of water in a 20 Olympic-sized swimming pool. This means that exposure can be measured more accurately. Although the concentrations of certain chemicals are small, most pesticides can be detected at levels that do not pose a biological risk.

Pesticides are allowed

If the EPA determines that the risk of a pesticide is greater than its benefits, its staff will conduct additional analysis to determine how the risk is mitigated enough to justify using it. If it is not possible, the EPA will reject the application and will not allow pesticide use in the United States

If the agency determines that the benefits outweigh the risks and the EPA approves pesticides sold and used in the United States, the law requires the pesticide to be labeled, which provides a strict set of guidelines for how, when and where pesticides are used.

The guidelines define the amount and time for safe application of pesticides, as well as specific restrictions or protection strategies for controlling target pests, while eliminating or minimizing harm to the environment, workers and the public.

The EPA also provides information about pesticides available to the public, so anyone can find out how to use them safely. Using pesticides without following these instructions is a violation of federal law.