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ARTICLE · 08 OCTOBER 2015

EPA Issues New Rule To Protect Farmworkers From Pesticide Risks

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Against a backdrop of higher-profile rules, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a new Worker Protection Standard (WPS) on September 28 that imposes additional requirements...

United StatesEnvironment
Bernadette Rappold
Bernadette Rappold
Dana Palmer
Dana Palmer

Against a backdrop of higher-profile rules, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a new Worker Protection Standard (WPS) on September 28 that imposes additional requirements on farm owners to protect farmworkers and their families from pesticide risk. The final rule becomes effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, slated to occur in the coming weeks.

The rule updates the decades-old WPS by tightening existing training, records retention, pesticide application, decontamination and signage requirements, and will prohibit farmworkers under the age of 18 from applying pesticides. It also establishes anti-retaliation provisions to protect workers who tell authorities about potential noncompliance. A chart outlining the changes can be found on the EPA's website.

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