Results matching “carbofuran”

I guess pesticide is the topic for this week after reporting about carbofuran. This time, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a new pesticide labeling to reduce off-target spray and dust drift. The agency is also requesting comments on a petition to evaluate children's exposure to pesticide drift.

The new labels will have uniform and specific directions on restricting spray drift as well as prohibit drift that could cause health or environmental effects. Examples of guidelines could include no spray buffer zones, restrictions on droplet or particle size, nozzle height, weather conditions, etc.

The agency is also taking other actions to reduce drift problems such as developing a new voluntary program called Drift Reduction Technology (DRT) programs that encourages development, marketing and use of application technologies to significantly reduce spray drift; developing information on best management practices (BMPs) to reduce off-target drift for specific application methods; education and training programs on drift management; and examine scientific issues associated with field volatilization of pesticides.

As far as DRT program is concern, the EPA plans for that program to be operative by 2010.

The green blog has been covering the carbofuran issue ever since the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided in 2008 to cancel the pesticide's registration because of concern for its health safety.

Carbofuran is an N-methyl carbamate insecticide and nematicide that has been registered to control pests in soil and on leaves in a variety of field, fruit, and vegetable crops.

In October 30, the EPA finally decided to implement its final rule to ban the pesticide and said that farmers who use the product should switch to safer alternatives instead. The carbofuran ban will start after December 31, 2009.

"EPA has carefully evaluated the scientific issues and has provided more than 500 days of public comment on this decision. It is now important to move forward with the needed public health protections, especially for children."

The EPA also denied any objections or requests for hearings regarding the ban, which of course FMC - the lone US producer of carbofuran, strongly objected to. During the 3-month commentary period on the ban, the National Corn Growers Association, National Sunflower Association, National Potato Council and FMC filed objections to the EPA proposal.

The EPA said the objections and science arguments presented were flawed and FMC's proposed amendments to the carbofuran registration is said to be insufficient.

FMC and the three commodity crop associations plan to take legal action against the EPA's decision in a federal court. FMC said the EPA's attempt to link carbofuran food residues to symptoms of potential poisoning in children is unwarranted.

"EPA's unprecedented attempt to deny any review of its science deprives the registrant and the growers who use carbofuran the right to prove that the product is safe, and represents a bold abuse of power in contradiction of the agency's earlier commitments to transparency and good science," said Dr. Michael Morelli, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs, FMC Agricultural Products Group.

Before I delved more deeply into the green regulatory buzzwords of the week CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) and ACES (American Clean Energy and Security Act), let me go to the more simple news such as this cancellation of carbofuran registration by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The blog posted last year in July about EPA's proposal to cancel the pesticide's registration. I guess it took them almost a year to make a definite action as the sole producer of the pesticide, FMC, filed a protest (and a lawsuit) against the EPA. The agency started its carbofuran cancellation effort in 2006.

Carbofuran is an N-methyl carbamate insecticide and nematicide that has been registered to control pests in soil and on leaves in a variety of field, fruit, and vegetable crops. According to the EPA, all products containing carbofuran generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on humans and the environment and do not meet safety standards, and therefore are ineligible for reregistration.

FMC said it will file objections and seek an administrative hearing.

With the EPA action, FMC said it can still sell and growers can use carbofuran until December 31, 2009. The company will follow all available administrative procedures and hopes to have the product available for the next crop growing year.

One problem with the cancellation registration, according to FMC, is that there are no alternatives to carbofuran in certain plant application such as in sunflower or killing rootworm. One 'concerned farmer' who commented last year on the blog said that carbofuran is one of the only chemicals that kills soybean aphids.

The US seems to be intent in pushing a lot of chemical bans this year especially in California. Meanwhile, plastic bag bans are plastered all over the news as well.

Joe Acker, president of the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), noted the rampant chemophobia going on in the US in his blog, and how US regulatory agencies seem to be pandering to these fears.

"The resulting widespread fear often pressures the government or retailers to react rashly and eliminate useful substances, regardless of the true hazard or the potentially disastrous market or safety outcomes."

I do agree that news on these purported toxic chemicals such as BPA, PVC, phthalates, certain flame retardants, and certain pesticides, seem to be overblown. However, will the government really put consumers more at risk by banning these chemicals?

Chemical associations continue to emphasized their historical safety but it seems several chemical companies are already working to find alternatives as a way to increase their competitiveness (and make higher profits).

Ban or not, maybe spotlighting these chemicals could be a good thing to drive the industry's innovative spirit (and profitability) to a higher level.

Then US Environmental Protection Agency said last week that it has identified risks associated with the pesticide carbofuran and is proceeding toward cancelling the pesticide's registration.

"EPA has concluded that dietary, worker, and ecological risks are of concern for all uses of carbofuran. All products containing carbofuran generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on humans and the environment and do not meet safety standards, and therefore are ineligible for reregistration."

Carbofuran is an N-methyl carbamate insecticide and nematicide registered to control pests in soil and on leaves in a variety of field, fruit, and vegetable crops.

According to this ICIS News article, the sole US carbofuran manufacturer FMC recently filed suit in US District Court in Washington, DC, to contest the EPA's cancellation effort.