Brazil adds stricter restrictions on insecticide acephate

Acephate pesticide would have new rules to be used in Brazil, the result of the product evaluation, excluding some types of application and crop where the product can no longer be used, published by ANVISA on October 3rd.
 
According to RDC 45/2013 Resolution, acephate can’t be applied in greenhouses (both manually or knapsack spraying) nor it can be used in household and gardening. The new substances monograph also prohibits the application in carnation, chrysanthemum, tobacco, sweet pepper, pink and fresh tomato cultures.
 
In cultures such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower and cabbage the product can only be used until substitute pesticides to acephate are registered. The law also determines that ANVISA prioritizes the substitutes registration for these crops. In another eight cultures the product will continue to be used.
 
Another news is that the acephate pesticide can only be commercialized in hydrosoluble packaging. In this kind of packaging the farmer doesn’t have contact with the product , because the package is placed closed within the application equipment and it dissolves during the preparation of the product. Starting January 31st 2015,this is going to be the only type of packaging accepted for acephate to be commercialized. Companies will also have to provide farmers informative booklets about the risks associated with this substance.
 
Since 2008 , ANVISA is reviewing 14 pesticides for many different reasons. In the case of acephate it was suspected to be carcinogen, reproductive toxicity for humans, and neurotoxic effects, besides the need to reevaluate the Acceptable Daily Intake (IDA). The new acephate IDA was set at 0.0012 mg/kg of body weight/day, the same one used in the United States.
 
Public Consultation on the product received 1,471 contributions from citizens, research institutions, farmers, productive segment, government, besides a petition from the Agroecology Brazilian Association.