As a result, EPA standards now consistently call for data on hazards, exposures, and dose-response functions that may indicate disproportionate risk to kids. The Food Quality Protection Act, passed by Congress and signed into law in 1996, establishes a more stringent health standard for pesticide residue in food, particularly to protect infants and children. EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances is undertaking an extensive scientific review of all pesticide tolerances to ensure they meet the more rigorous standards. Currently, we are focusing our scientific reviews on the organophosphates, which appear to pose the most significant risks. This reassessment process for the existing tolerances is based on sound scientific principles and extensive consultations with our stakeholders to ensure our decisions are protective of public health, and provide a reasonable transition for agriculture to move to safer pest control methods.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals have the potential to alter or mimic hormones.
EPA is developing a scientific screening and testing program to identify pesticides and chemicals which may interact with the endocrine system. Children are particularly susceptible to endocrine disruption because of their rapid growth and development. The Office of Water is working to control microbiological contaminants, which pose a particular threat to infants and children. Future Plans One of the Task Forces' highest priorities is to begin a multi-year study of the impact of exposure to environmental pollutants on children. As the Framingham study provided us most of what we now know about heart disease, this study could be the watershed in children's environmental health protection, allowing us to point with certainty to areas where prevention, intervention, and treatment would help America's children.