Corteva is one of the largest companies on the planet and within their field of work. It was also involved in a major scandal regarding the safety of their products. Corteva’s pesticides were found to cause brain damage in children, resulting in the product being pulled from the market. Reports state that Corteva will cease all production of the product by the end of this year.
What is Corteva?
Corteva came to be following the merger of two large chemical companies: Dow Chemical and DuPont. Corteva is one of the biggest names in the market, and has greatly benefited from recent Trump administration policy changes. Against the advice of their own experts, the administration chose to lift the ban on pesticides produced by Corteva.
Their product is widely used on corn, soybeans, almonds, citrus, cotton, grapes, walnuts and other crops. Experts in the field have long lobbied for the product to be banned, and the state of California has done so independently of the federal government.
Health Risks
The EPA has concluded that chemicals used in the pesticide carry both dietary and broader health risks. Additional health risks exist for those who work with the chemicals, as they leave a residue that lasts longer than industry standards recommend.
The bulk of the case concerns the pesticide known as chlorpyrifos, which is found to cause brain damage and is associated specifically with lowered IQ, attention deficit disorders and developmental delays. Due to these findings, the Obama administration had banned its use nationwide.
California Research
Additional research was conducted in rural areas of California, where the pesticide was extensively used. The research focused on the pesticide’s effect on pregnant women who were exposed to it for long periods of time, such as women who lived near or on a farm while pregnant.
Results proved that babies have below-average IQ if their mothers are exposed to chlorpyrifos during pregnancy. This research sparked the law suits that resulted in a ban during the 2000s. The EPA was also sued, for failing to act sooner.
Statement from Corteva
Corteva stated that they are pulling the product off the market, due to decreased demand. After 55 years on the market, demand had tanked even before the ban went into effect, due to common knowledge of its risks.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to stop our manufacturing of chlorpyrifos,” stated Corteva’s president of Crop Protection Business, Susanne Wasson. “The demand for chlorpyrifos is only 20 percent of what it was in the 90s, and there’s still public backlash and reputation damage as long as it’s made.”
Future Law Suits
Those who have sued the company and the EPA will continue to do so, despite the product being pulled from shelves. This is partially because it can still be sold through other suppliers, and partly because damages have already been done due to past use.
“Other people are going to continue to profit from harming children,” said Marisa Ordonia, an attorney with Earthjustice. “It is big that such a major player is saying no, we’re not going to do this anymore. It’s a great signal that people don’t want brain-damaging pesticides on their food. But we’re going to continue to keep fighting to make sure children and farmworkers are protected.”
Policy Consecutions
There will likely be broader policy consecutions that reach beyond simply removing the product from the market. Law suits may lead to additional financial and legal consecutions that will prove far more crucial than the initial withdrawal.
Hopefully, this will serve as a sounding board for discussions on the dangers of pesticides. This may also lead to new discussions surrounding sustainable agriculture.
Conclusion
One of the nation’s largest pesticide producers has just pulled their pesticide from the market, following research proving harmful cognitive effects on children and unborn babies.