Center for Biological Diversity


For Immediate Release, February 3, 2016

Contact: Lori Ann Burd, (971) 717-6405, laburd@biologicaldiversity.org 

Lawsuit Targets EPA's Failure to Release Public Records on Toxic Herbicide

WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Environmental Protection Agency today for failing to provide public records regarding its approval of Enlist Duo, a pesticide blend that’s highly toxic to a wide spectrum of terrestrial and aquatic plants, birds and mammals, and has significant adverse effects on human health.

Pesticide Spraying
Photo courtesy EPA. This photo is available for media use.

The EPA has yet to fully comply with a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Center two years ago seeking information about the EPA’s decision to register the pesticide cocktail. Today’s lawsuit seeks full public disclosure of those documents.

“The public has a right to essential information to illuminate why the agency made the decision to approve this dangerous pesticide cocktail in light of its potential environmental and human-health impacts,” said Lori Ann Burd, environmental health director at the Center. “After two years of stalling, sending only heavily redacted records, and ignoring our appeal for information, EPA has left us with no choice but to go to court to obtain the records on this deadly chemical.”

Enlist Duo is a toxic combination of glyphosate and 2,4-D created by Dow AgroSciences for use on the next generation of genetically engineered crops designed to withstand being drenched with the potent herbicide cocktail. 

Despite this the EPA registered Enlist Duo for use in 15 states, claiming Enlist Duo would have “no effect” on endangered and threatened species. The Center submitted the Freedom of Information Act request to understand and assess EPA’s decision.

“The EPA needs to be fully transparent about how and why it approves these toxic herbicides, which pose a serious threat to people and wildlife, to be sprayed on vast acreage of our food crops,” said Burd.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.


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