Chemical industry officials have won the chance to comment on key pesticide science policies that will guide enforcement of a 1996 food safety law--despite complaints by environmental advocates that what's needed is action, not more words.
Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a plan for receiving public comments over the next year on nine key technical issues raised by the law. They range from how to statistically analyze human exposure to pesticides to how to deal with chemical residues on food that may be dangerous but are not measurable with existing equipment.
Industry representatives serving on an EPA advisory panel successfully pushed for the chance to comment on what they see as an overly strict interpretation of the policies, which will shape enforcement of the law. But one environmentalist says some companies are just trying to slow things down. "EPA has received more than enough information on these issues," says Ken Cook of the Environmental Working Group. "It should be regulating instead of issuing documents."
