為保護農場工人與野生動物的健康，美國環保署正採取行動，完全禁止在美國境內使用劇毒農藥「安殺番」(endosulfan)。
安殺番這種農藥使用在蔬菜、水果、棉花種植上，「可能對農場工人與野生動物在神經與生殖系統上造成不可承受的風險，並會在環境中持久存在。」環保署在6月9日一份聲明中如此表示。安殺番也用於觀賞用的樹木、灌叢與草本植物，但並沒有家用的情況。
安殺番屬於有機氯殺蟲劑，在1950年代首次登記使用，並且是一種具有持久性、生物累積性的殺蟲劑。依據環保署數據，美國每年大約使用700噸的安殺番。
環保署曾在2002年合格農藥重新註冊規定中設立多種限制，9日禁用安殺番的宣布乃是依據新的數據與科學審查結果。環保署表示，該科學審查改善了署方對安殺番之於生態與工人的風險評估。
為了回應環保署2002年重新註冊規定而研究得出的新數據顯示，工人面對的風險較先前瞭解的更大。農場工人可能藉由吸入與接觸皮膚而暴露在安殺番的風險中。環保署表示：「美國食物供應中，安殺番的使用僅佔非常小的比例，不會因為飲食而構成人類健康風險。」
但是聯邦毒性物質及疾病登記署(Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR)在其網站上說明：「暴露於安殺番的案件多數來自食用遭汙染的食物，但也可經由皮膚接觸、呼吸到受汙染的空氣，或是飲用到受污染的水源。」
環保署2010年修訂的生態風險評估，反映出對安殺番暴露風險與生態影響所有可得資訊的全面檢討，包括安殺番科學諮詢小組經由獨立外部的同儕審查而做出的建議。
環保署目前正在制定規定的細節，該規定將會禁絕所有安殺番的使用，同時會考慮到農民需求，協助其適時採用低風險的害蟲控制措施。
環保署表示，安殺番的製造商-北美馬克西姆阿甘公司(Makhteshim Agan of North America, MANA )正與環保署討論，將自願停止所有安殺番的使用。
該公司集團總部位於以色列特拉維夫，在100多個國家銷售農作物保護產品。北美馬克西姆阿甘公司則設於美國北卡羅來納州，是美國唯一生產安殺番的公司。該公司在市場上銷售安殺番，是以「Thionex 50W」與「Thionex 3EC」兩款殺蟲劑農藥產品為名。
該公司的全球政府與企業關係局長在9日的CNN 新聞上表示：「本公司對於環保署有關安殺番的定論，仍舊有根本上的不同意見。」
To protect the health of farmworkers and wildlife, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking action to end all uses of the pesticide endosulfan in the United States.
Endosulfan, which is used on vegetables, fruits, and cotton, "can pose unacceptable neurological and reproductive risks to farmworkers and wildlife and can persist in the environment," the agency said in a statement Wednesday. Also used on ornamental shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants, it has no residential uses.
An organochlorine insecticide first registered in the 1950s, endosulfan is a persistent, bioaccumulative pesticide. Some 700 tons of endosulfan are used annually in the United States, according to the EPA.
While EPA did impose various restrictions in a 2002 re-registration decision, the phaseout announced Wednesday is based on new data and scientific peer review, which the EPA says have improved the agency's assessment of the ecological and worker risks from endosulfan.
New data generated in response to the agency's 2002 re-registration decision have shown that risks faced by workers are greater than previously known. Farmworkers can be exposed to endosulfan through inhalation and contact with the skin.
The EPA says, "Endosulfan is used on a very small percentage of the U.S. food supply and does not present a risk to human health from dietary exposure."
But the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR, says on its website, "Exposure to endosulfan happens mostly from eating contaminated food, but may also occur from skin contact, breathing contaminated air, or drinking contaminated water."
EPA's 2010 revised ecological risk assessment reflects a comprehensive review of all available exposure and ecological effects information for endosulfan, including independent external peer-reviewed recommendations made by the endosulfan Scientific Advisory Panel.
EPA is currently working out the details of the decision that will eliminate all endosulfan uses, while incorporating consideration of the needs for growers to timely move to lower-risk pest control practices.
Makhteshim Agan of North America, the manufacturer of endosulfan, is in discussions with EPA to voluntarily terminate all endosulfan uses, the agency says.
The company, based in Tel Aviv, Israel, sells its crop protection products in over 100 countries. Makhteshim Agan of North America, MANA, located in North Carolina, is the only U.S. producer of endosulfan. The company markets the pesticide under the names Thionex 50W and Thionex 3EC.
The director of global governmental and industry relations for the company told CNN News today, "MANA continues to disagree fundamentally with EPA's conclusions regarding endosulfan."
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
