U.S still using pesticides banned elsewhere in the world

Many pesticides that are banned in the EU, China, and Brazil are still being used widely in the U.S., according to a new study. Of the 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides used by the U.S. in 2016, some 322 million pounds were of pesticides banned in the EU. Of the 500 pesticides approved in the U.S., 17 are banned or being phased out in Brazil, and 11 are banned or on their way out in China. In fact, the U.S. has been using more of some of the pesticides banned in at least two of the countries. One reason why the U.S. may be lagging behind is that the U.S. almost exclusively relies on voluntary cancellations by pesticide makers, according to the study, while regulators in the EU, China, and Brazil are responsible for removing harmful pesticides.