Pushback from advocates leads NC to drop legal shield for pesticide makers

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A North Carolina advocacy group is celebrating what it calls a major win for communities concerned about pesticide exposure.

Toxic Free NC says the state’s Farm Act, passed on June 10, lacks a provision that would have shielded pesticide companies from certain legal challenges.

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The change could make it more difficult for people to take legal action against pesticide companies if they believed they were harmed by exposure.

After pushback from advocates and residents, the provision was removed.

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“If they’re not giving a warning that this might cause Parkinson’s or this might cause cancer and they use that pesticide, they should have a way redress that harm and to sue folks who may already known about the harm that that can cause,” said Alexis Luckey, executive director of Toxic Free NC.

Toxic Free NC says pesticide industry groups have pushed similar legislation in a dozen states across the country. North Carolina was one of several states where opponents successfully stopped the effort.