I grew up on “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” My most vivid grade-school history lesson centered around Johnny Appleseed. I truly believe that something can be “as American as apple pie.”

But when I found out that 80% of apples are coated with a pesticide that’s banned in Europe because it could be carcinogenic, I worried that what I serve to my three children as a healthy snack isn’t safe any more.That's why I started this petition to ask the EPA to ban DPA on American apples.

European regulators are worried too—so worried about the connection between diphenylamine and nitrosamines, a family of potent cancer-causing chemicals, that they banned the use of DPA on apples and pears in June 2012. (You can find links to these studies at www.MommyGreenest.com/Poison-Apples.)

Then, in March of this year, they reduced the allowable level of DPA on imports to .1 part per million—effectively banning the export of American apples to Europe.

In the United States, farmers treat conventionally-grown apples with the EU-banned pesticide—commonly known as DPA—after harvest to prevent blackening or browning of fruit skin during cold storage. The average concentration of DPA on U.S. apples is about .42 parts per million.

Under the federal Food Quality Protection Act, the EPA is supposed to conduct a scientific assessment of pesticides every 15 years—but it hasn’t assessed DPA since the late 1990s.

Tests of raw apples conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2010—the most recent year for which data is available—found DPA on 80% of apples tested, more often and at greater concentrations than other pesticide residues. They also found it in apple juice and applesauce.

And Americans eat nearly 10 pounds per person of fresh apples every year.

Why should Americans eat apples coated with potentially carcinogenic chemicals, when Europe takes steps to make sure their apples are safe?

It just isn’t fair. And it isn’t right. But there’s something we can do about it.

Take a minute to sign this petition asking the EPA to ban DPA on American apples. Then please help to spread the word! If everyone who signs tells TWO friends and shares ONCE on Facebook and Twitter, we'll reach our goal of 5,000 signatures. The EPA has to listen to that, right?

And soon there will be one less danger to worry about, when it comes to apples. Our fruit will be as wholesomely American as apple pie. Just like the Europeans'.