The EPA failed to take environmental and public health risks into account when it reapproved two brand-name weedkillers produced by Corteva that contain the herbicide 2,4-D, according to a federal lawsuit that challenges the 2022 decision. The plaintiffs, two environmental groups and a farmworker group, asked the U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., to vacate the registrations of Enlist One and Enlist Duo and to halt sales of the products while the EPA reconsiders their risks.
Attorney Kristina Sinclair of the Center for Food Safety, one of the plaintiffs, said the EPA “is jeopardizing hundreds of endangered species across the country” because it failed to consult the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the likely impact of widespread use of the weedkillers. “EPA’s analysis does not reflect actual use of these products in real-world agriculture,” said the Pesticide Action Network, another of the plaintiffs.
Enlist One and Enlist Duo are used on corn, cotton, and soybean crops that have been genetically modified to tolerate the chemicals. Enlist One contains only 2,4-D. Enlist Duo contains 2,4-D and glyphosate.
“The products were identified … as important tools to address weed control for species that have developed resistance to multiple herbicides,” said the EPA after it approved the herbicides for use in 34 states.
The EPA had revoked its approval of Enlist Duo in 2015 because its combination of two weedkillers was stronger than expected and could endanger non-target plants. The agency acted as part of an ongoing lawsuit by environmental groups, including the Center for Food Safety.
To read the new lawsuit, click here.
For EPA information about its approval of Enlist One and Enlist Duo, click here.