The US is lagging behind China, Brazil, and the European Union in banning harmful pesticides. There have been many studies and lawsuits showing that pesticides negatively impact the environment and human health. Pesticides can contaminate soil, water, turf, and other vegetation. In addition to killing insects or weeds, pesticides can be toxic to a host of other organisms including birds, fish, beneficial insects, and non-target plants. A bad insecticide can essentially destroy an ecosystem by killing off organisms and drastically decreasing biodiversity. Insecticides are generally the most acutely toxic class of pesticides, but herbicides can also pose risks to non-target organisms. Researchers from the Center for Biological Diversity reviewed pesticide cancellations and approved pesticides in the US, Brazil, China, and the EU to see how the United States compared to other countries in harmful pesticide approval and use. The USA is generally regarded as being highly regulated and having protective pesticide safeguards in place, but this study contradicts that narrative and finds that in fact, in the last couple of decades, nearly all pesticide cancellations in the USA have been done voluntarily by the pesticide industry. 72 pesticides banned or in the process of being phased out in the EU are approved for use in the US. In Brazil, 17 banned or phased out pesticides are still approved in the US, and in China, 11 banned pesticides are still used in the United States. Out of 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides sprayed on crops and other landscapes in the US, 322 million pounds came from pesticides banned in the EU, 40 million pounds belonged to pesticides prohibited in China, and 26 million pounds were from pesticides banned in Brazil. Overall, more than ten percent of the total pesticides used in the US come from pesticides that are banned or being phased out in all three of the regions studied. The majority of banned pesticides in the US were done so voluntarily. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only canceled 37 pesticides since 1970. Voluntary cancellations have increased over the years, but EPA cancellations have dropped significantly. Especially when they are known to cause serious damage to the environment including hurting biodiversity and harming animals, we should follow other countries' lead and ban harmful pesticides from the government, and not wait for corporations to ban pesticides on their own.