Marijuana regulators have stopped operations at several outdoor marijuana farms and processing facilities in Washington after testing found high levels of chemicals linked to a dangerous decades-old pesticide.
The facilities, which are located in north-central Washington in an area that used to be fruit orchards, were shut down at least temporarily on Thursday after the announcement by Washington’s Liquor and Cannabis Board.
Officials said that samples collected from grow operations along a stretch of the Okanagan River north of Brewster showed high levels of DDE, which is a chemical that will remain in the soil after DDT breaks down.