The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has issued a final regulatory decision to impose wide-ranging additional restrictions on the insecticide, fenitrothion, in the interests of worker safety and protection of animals, the environment and trade.
Fenitrothion has been subject to a chemical review and public consultation related to its active constituents, chemical products and labels.
As a result of the APVMA’s final decision, the majority of the insecticide’s current uses in broad acre, pasture, horticulture and the treatment of grain storage areas and poultry houses, will no longer be authorised as the APVMA has determined that there is no viable way to mitigate environmental and worker safety risks.
There is no imminent risk to workers or the environment.
There is no risk to the safety of food.
The use of fenitrothion on bulk stored grain entering silos remains authorised. For the limited uses remaining in other settings, additional restraints will be introduced.
At the conclusion of a 12-month phase-out period, fenitrothion will only be able to be used in extremely limited circumstances and with strict controls.
No uses involving hand-held spraying will be authorised.
The APVMA says it always takes a conservative approach to safety margins for protection of human health and the environment. The new instructions for use and further restraints will reinforce the safety margins for fenitrothion and remove authority for the product to be used in any way that erodes these safety margins.
In addition to the priority considerations around worker safety, the final decision by the APVMA has been driven by evidence of potential negative impact on the environment related to the vast majority of uses. The environmental risk was predominantly related to birds, but also small mammals and sensitive aquatic species as a result of spray drift.
Fenitrothion is an insecticide that has been used to control various insects in pastures and agricultural crops, including for control of plague locusts and grasshoppers. It has also been used to control litter beetles in poultry houses, as a structural treatment in grain storage facilities, and as a grain protectant for long term protection of cereal grains in storage.
For most agricultural uses that will now be cancelled or restricted, there are alternatives available.
A summary of fenitrothion uses, which are supported or not supported, is available on the APVMA website. A summary of the underlying risk assessments has also been published in the Fenitrothion Final Review Technical Report.
For more news and updates visit the APVMA website.
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