Citing health risks to children, the EPA yesterday restricted the use of two pesticides widely used on apples and other crops. But enviros say the agency has bowed to industry pressure and failed to crack down on the most dangerous pesticides. The Natural Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups plan to sue the EPA for violating a 1996 food safety law. EPA Administrator Carol Browner defended her agency by saying the task of evaluating safe pesticide levels proved more difficult than expected, and said there will be a push over the next 18 months to evaluate 39 pesticides known as organophosphates.
