The Environmental Working Group filed a federal lawsuit against the EPA today, accusing the agency of unlawfully ignoring a seven-year-old petition to tighten glyphosate residue limits on oats and ban the herbicide's use as a pre-harvest drying agent.
The suit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, argues that the EPA violated federal law by failing to respond to the petition in a timely manner. EWG contends that the agency's inaction leaves millions of children exposed to the weedkiller, which independent researchers have linked to cancer risk.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, appears frequently in conventional oat products consumed by American families. The EPA currently allows residues up to 30 parts per million in oats, a level EWG argues exceeds safe exposure thresholds for children. The group's petition seeks stricter limits based on recent toxicology studies and residue data.
The lawsuit represents an escalation of a long-running regulatory dispute. EWG originally submitted its petition in 2017, expecting standard agency procedures to produce a response within months. The seven-year delay prompted the legal challenge.
Federal law requires EPA to grant or deny petitions within a reasonable timeframe. EWG's court filing claims the agency has no justification for the extended silence and that continued delay poses unnecessary health risks.
The EPA has maintained that glyphosate is safe at approved residue levels, a position that contradicts findings from California's environmental agency and some international health bodies. The lawsuit could force the agency to either formally reject EWG's petition or initiate a review process that could result in stricter regulations.
This case tests whether the EPA must follow statutory deadlines for regulatory petitions, particularly those involving pesticide safety and children's health.
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