Which agency has authority for pesticides, toxins, and safe drinking water standards?

• A. FDA
• B. USDA-APHIS
• C. CDC
• D. EPA

Answer: (D)

Authority over pesticides, toxins, and safe drinking water standards rests with the Environmental Protection Agency because it administers the main federal laws that regulate these areas. For pesticides, EPA registers and regulates pesticide products under FIFRA to ensure they won’t cause unreasonable health or environmental risks. For toxins and other chemical substances, EPA enforces the Toxic Substances Control Act, which gives the agency authority to assess and manage risks from hazardous chemicals. For drinking water, EPA sets and enforces maximum contaminant levels under the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect public health. Other agencies have important related roles—FDA oversees pesticide residues in food and overall food safety, CDC handles disease prevention and public health surveillance, and USDA-APHIS focuses on animal health and agricultural issues—but EPA is the federal regulator with the broad authority across pesticides, toxins, and drinking water standards.