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DowDuPont pesticide banned

DowDupont

California’s federal appeals court ordered a ban on a DowDuPont chemical called chlorpyrifos Thursday.

The pesticide is widely used on citrus fruit and apples, but scientific research has shown chlorpyrifos to be harmful to babies’ brains.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ordered the EPA to ban the substance within 60 days.

The decision comes after environmental groups, farm workers and several state attorneys general sued then-EPA administrator Scott Pruitt for reversing an Obama-era effort to ban the chemical last year.

Dow Chemical created chlorpyrifos in the 60s and its AgroSciences company continues to sell about 5 million pounds domestically each year, according to the Associated Press.

The News Journal reports a DowDuPont spokesman says the company will likely appeal the decision as it was not unanimous.

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