Dicamba Can Harm Plants, Animals, and Workers, EPA Finds (1)

Birds, bees, and plants could be harmed by the widely used weedkiller dicamba, and some workers may need respirators, the EPA said Thursday.

The Environmental Protection Agency detailed those conclusions in a revised draft environmental and human health assessment about the herbicide’s risks. The agency is now seeking public comment by Oct. 17.

Ecological damage occurs mostly when the herbicide drifts off crops that are genetically engineered to resist it onto other crops and plants that aren’t, the EPA said.

The agency received 3,500 incident damage reports for the 2021 growing season, the EPA said, referring to information released in ...