Scientists in the U.S. have determined that a family of widely used pesticides poses a threat to dozens of endangered and threatened species, including Pacific salmon, Atlantic sturgeon and Puget Sound orcas.
Chlorpyrifos poses risks
Organophosphorus gas was originally developed as a chemical weapon before World War II.
Dow Chemical, based in Midland, Michigan, has been selling chlorpyrifos for spraying on citrus fruits, apples, cherries and other crops since the 1960s.
It is among the most widely used agricultural pesticides in the United States, with Dow selling about 5 million pounds (2.3 million kilograms) domestically each year
Dow AgroSciences, the Dow subsidiary that sells chlorpyrifos, did not respond to a request for comment Friday
A coalition of environmentalists and commercial fishermen has fought in court for more than a decade to spur the U.S. government to more closely examine the risk posed to humans and endangered species by organophosphates.
Studies have shown for years that even low levels of pesticides running off into streams and rivers can impair the growth, swimming ability and reproductive systems of salmon. Potentially harmful levels of the toxins then build up in the bodies of orcas, also known as killer whales, that eat salmon.
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