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TO:
The Minister for Health and Ageing, The Hon Tony Abbott MP

CC: Senator for the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, Senator Troeth

RE: CHILDREN'S HEALTH & CHLORPYRIFOS

Dear Minister,

The US EPA has entered an agreement with Dow Agro-Sciences to ban the domestic use of the common pesticide and termite treatment chlorpyrifos in homes, hospitals and preschools.

When this chemical is also found in nearly 60% of the new-born babies and a 100% of preschoolers in Australia, it is clearly evident that its ongoing use is totally unacceptable. With the high toxicity and persistence of this pesticide it represents an unacceptable risk to the children, adults and wildlife of Australia.

The US decision not only bans the use of chlorpyrifos around the home and school but will also restrict certain agricultural applications on food that is heavily consumed by children. The ban is a result of the US EPA 's re-evaluation of the chemical's potential neurotoxic risk to children.

Why then has Australia decided not to follow the lead of the US and only moved to improve label warnings, limit the strength of some domestic products and call on industry self regulation to reduce drift?

The regulatory failure to take action to protect wildlife and children in Australia will further degrade our environment and significantly harm Australia's reputation as a clean green producer.

Children are our most valuable resource. Protecting their health, particularly their nervous systems, from environmental toxic overload must surely be a priority.

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Yours Sincerely,

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