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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on California's move to ban a widely used pesticide blamed for harming child development (all times local):
10:50 a.m.
The manufacturer of a pesticide that California plans to outlaw says the decision will hurt farmers trying to control pests.
Gregg Schmidt, a spokesman for DowDuPont, says the company is disappointed with the decision to ban chlorpyrifos (klohr-PY'-rih-fohs).
California environmental officials say the pesticide known to harm child development was worse than previously thought and is unsafe to use.
Hawaii banned the pesticide last year and New York lawmakers just passed a bill that would ban the chemical.
State Environmental Secretary Jared Blumenfeld says the state's action is partly due to the Trump administration's reversal of an effort under President Barack Obama to phase out the pesticide nationwide.
DowDuPont says the chemical is used in about 100 countries and is highly effective in controlling insects.
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9:32 a.m.
California plans to ban a widely used pesticide shown to harm the brains of babies.
The state Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it was taking the action to ban chlorpyrifos (klohr-PY'-rih-fohs) after it was deemed a toxic air contaminant and discovered to be more dangerous than previously thought.
The decision comes after several steps in recent years to restrict the pesticide currently used on about 60 different crops in the nation's most productive farm state, including grapes, almonds and oranges.
State Environmental Secretary Jared Blumenfeld says it's the first time the state has ever sought to ban a pesticide and the move is overdue.
Hawaii banned the pesticide last year and New York lawmakers just passed a bill that would ban the chemical.
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