Lawmakers take tough stand against harmful
pesticide
The House committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental
Protection today passed a complete ban on the pesticide chlorpyrifos during a
hearing at the State Capitol.
HB 1756 bans the import, use, manufacture, sale, and
storage of chlorpyrifos in the state. The bill also seeks to protect workers
who mix and apply the chemical and are exposed to unsafe levels of the
pesticide.
"The profits of the chemical companies are going up and the IQs of
our babies, of our keiki, are going down," said Agriculture Committee
Chair Rep. Richard P. Creagan (Naʻalehu, Ocean View, Capt. Cook, Kealakehua,
Kailua-Kona). "We have an epidemic of autism and neurodevelopmental
disorders in children and chlorpyrifos is one of the contributing factors."
Energy & Environmental Protection Chair Rep. Chris Lee (Kailua,
Waimānalo) said there are passionate opinions on both sides of the pesticide
debate.
"What we need to do is have respect for each other, find out the
facts, and do what is best for the people of Hawaiʻi," Rep. Lee said. "Farmers
want to protect their livelihoods, but families have a right to live free from
the harmful effects of pesticides."
Hawaiʻi Island Rep. Creagan said some farmers don't support this ban because
they want to continue using a pesticide they have become accustomed to, but he
said this chemical is proven to be dangerous.
"The EPA banned chlorpyrifos for indoor use over a decade
ago," Creagan said. "The EPA in our country had thousands of pages of
damning evidence and were ready to ban chlorpyrifos for all food uses when
Scott Pruitt was appointed (EPA Administrator) by President Trump and scrapped
that plan. Enough is enough! We cannot wait for a compromised EPA to act. It is
time to ban this close cousin of the nerve agent Sarin. We are treating our
babies like the Syrian dictator Assad is treating his own civilians. It is time
we stop bowing to the dictates of the chemical companies. We need to draw our
own line in the sand that surrounds our islands."
The bill now moves to the Consumer Protections & Commerce, and
Finance committees.
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