A new settlement approved by the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to alter the way pesticides are crafted across the United States.
According to the settlement, the EPA will now consider which species of insects – such as bees and butterflies – are negatively impacted by specific pesticides.
“When you think about what a pesticide is, it’s supposed to kill pests,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Administrator Michal Freedhoff. “It is difficult to design a process where it kills only the things it is supposed to kill.”
The settlement is likely to aid the EPA in meeting standards set by the Endangered Species Act, which the agency has reportedly failed to meet 95% of the time when it comes to pesticides.
