US environment agency let Bayer pick regulations for destructive weedkiller, documents show
Summary
The EPA allowed Bayer to choose from different options for regulating the weedkiller dicamba, according to internal agency documents. Dicamba can drift onto nearby crops and plants, causing damage and health risks, but the EPA approved less protective rules based on Bayer’s preferences.Key Facts
- The EPA gave Bayer a set of regulation options for controlling dicamba’s harmful effects.
- Dicamba is known to drift from sprayed fields and kill nearby vegetation and crops.
- Health studies link dicamba to liver cancer and a type of cancer called Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Courts have removed dicamba from the market twice due to drift problems, but the EPA re-approved it.
- Bayer chose the least strict options for some dicamba regulations from the EPA’s list.
- Environmental groups sued the EPA, saying it allowed Bayer to regulate itself.
- The EPA said companies can submit ideas for safety but do not control the final rules.
- Dicamba drift has damaged millions of acres of farmland, gardens, and natural areas since 2016.
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