EPA Bans ​​Chlorpyrifos

Learn how to better prepare for the new ban on chlorpyrifos in your lab with chlorpyrifos standards.

As of August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the ban of chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide used to control soil-borne pests and foliage in crops. The EPA took this measure to especially protect the health of farmworkers and children, as occupational or even moderate exposure to chlorpyrifos can cause potential damage to:

• The central nervous system
• The sympathetic nervous system
• The parasympathetic nervous system

Studies conducted at Columbia University combined with strong agreement from peer-reviewed publications showed the increased sensitivity to chlorpyrifos among infants, children, and females (ages 13-50)1.

How does this affect food samples?

In 2016, the EPA confirmed there was no safe use of chlorpyrifos, with all food exposures exceeding safe levels, and children over the age of two exposed to chlorpyrifos levels that are 140 times the safe level.

Of course, this results in a considerable shift for farmers in the U.S., who have used millions of pounds of chlorpyrifos on their crops since the mid-60s. And since then, excessive amounts of chlorpyrifos have found their way into food samples:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Pesticide Data Program collects data on pesticide residues in foods and compiles an annual report of the findings. The 2007 annual summary reported 9734 samples of fruit and vegetable commodities tested for chlorpyrifos residues. Chlorpyrifos was detected in 339 (3.48%) of these samples.2

With the ban of chlorpyrifos, testing of this pesticide is critical and demand for testing may increase. Chlorpyrifos standards are offered by CPI in both single-analyte solutions and pesticide mixes, including custom mixtures to make your lab more efficient.

When you order your chlorpyrifos standards from CPI, you get:

• Automatic volume pricing on standards pack sizes of 5 ampules or more.
• Auto-shipment service that replenishes your lab’s standards on a predictable, preset schedule.
• Rewards points on orders over $200 that accumulate as your order value increases.

Browse Chlorpyrifos Standards