Environmental activists are pushing to ban toxic chemicals often found in dog collars and other pet products The Natural Resources Defense Council filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday seeking to force the agency to restrict the use of tetrachlovinphos which it describes as a highly toxic pesticide This comes after the EPA last year restricted the use of a related pesticide propoxur but refused previous requests to block tetrachlovinphos from being used in pet products NRDC noted NRDC argues these chemicals are highly toxic and pose a risk to children who are exposed to those animals EPAs blatant disregard for protecting our childrens health from toxic flea collars is irresponsible and unacceptable said Miriam Rotkin-Ellman NRDCs senior scientist Science shows time and again that brain and nervous system-damaging chemicals like TCVP are too harmful to have in our homes on our pets and around our children Rotkin-Ellman added