EPA Enacts Emergency Ban on Pesticide Linked to Fetal Harm

The rare move aims to protect farmworkers and pregnant women from the dangerous effects of Dacthal, a widely-used weed killer.

Dacthal, a pesticide used on various crops, poses significant risks to fetal development.
The EPA's emergency order is the first of its kind in nearly 40 years.
Exposure to the chemical can result in low birth weight, impaired brain development, and other irreversible health issues.
The order follows years of insufficient data submission by the pesticide's manufacturer, AMVAC Chemical Corp.
Advocacy groups praise the decision but criticize the delay in regulatory action.