Oregon lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on a set of bills that would restrict pesticide use in an attempt to protect both humans and the insects that pollinate our crops.

 

House Bill 3058 and Senate Bill 853, nearly identical, would ban all uses of the insecticide known as chlorpyrifos within Oregon. The bills also would add a commonly used group of insecticides, known as neonicotinoids, to a list of restricted pesticides that can only be applied with a state-issued license.

 

In December, OPB reported the widespread use of chlorpyrifos in the Pacific Northwest on crops from apples to Christmas trees, despite concerns from federal scientists about its harmful effects.

 

Environmental Protection Agency scientists recommended banning chlorpyrifos because of its potential harm to children and farmworkers, but the agency decided against a ban after President Donald Trump took office. In the months after the EPA decided against banning it, people continued to complain about pollution and poisoning related to chlorpyrifos in Oregon and Washington.

 

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