The Environment

EWG's response to a pesticide industry-funded 'critique' of their report Tap Water Blues, which documented public health risks from drinking water contaminated with herbicides.

Agricultural weed-killers were found in the tap water of 28 out of 29 cities across the midwest, often at levels that exceeded federal health standards for weeks or months at a time.

Cyanazine is sold by DuPont Chemical as Bladex, and has been in use since 1971. It is the fourth most widely used synthetic chemical pesticide in U.S. agriculture. An estimated 30-35 million pounds were applied in 1993 (Aspeline 1994), primarily on corn fields to control grasses and broad leaf weeds. Based on information reported by the EPA, the USDA, and others, the use of cyanazine appears to be increasing.

Fruit and vegetable growers in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Canada and elsewhere are using pesticides that are illegal under U.S. law on food that ends up on America's tables every day.