TheTrump administrationhas approved the continued use of the pesticide atrazine after a federal wildlife review concluded it does not pose an extinction risk to endangered animals and plants in the United States. The decision, released by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, has drawn criticism from environmental groups, which argue that the chemical remains dangerous to wildlife, water supplies and human health.
The review was completed after a legal challenge brought by theCenter for Biological Diversity. Officials said current safety measures are enough to stop atrazine from pushing protected species towards extinction. That decision now clears another major step for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to continue allowing the pesticide to be used across American farms.
Atrazine has been banned in more than 60 countries but remains one of the most commonly used pesticides in the United States. It is mainly sprayed on corn crops and is used in large quantities each year in industrial farming.
Environmental groups say the latest ruling ignores years of scientific concern about the chemical and its effects on rivers, lakes and wildlife habitats.
The new atrazine review goes against what the Environmental Protection Agency said in 2021. Back then, the EPA warned that the pesticide could harm more than 1,000 protected animal and plant species across the United States.
Environmental groups say the Trump administration is now downplaying those risks instead of taking stronger action. Nathan Donley from the Center for Biological Diversity accused officials of protecting pesticide industry interests rather than wildlife and public health.
'The science shows that atrazine should be banned here, just as it has been in dozens of other countries,' Donley said. He warned that the chemical could continue polluting rivers, lakes and farmland for many years.
Studies have linked atrazine tobirth defects, fertility issues and several types of cancer. In 2025, the World Health Organization's cancer research agency classified it as 'probably carcinogenic to humans,' meaning it could potentially cause cancer.
Critics say it is difficult to understand why atrazine is still heavily used in the US when many countries have already banned it. The disagreement has also highlighted differences in how chemical safety is reviewed.
The World Health Organization only uses studies that independent scientists can publicly examine. Environmental campaigners argue that US regulators often rely too much on studies produced by pesticide companies themselves.
Source: International Business Times UK
