Arysta LifeScience releases new evidence to confirm MIDAS’ safety

Arysta LifeScience has released a second report of results from groundwater and air monitoring studies conducted for MIDAS, a broad-spectrum soil fumigant that effectively controls pests, weeds and diseases that threaten high-value crops. The report confirms that MIDAS is being used safely and without harm to farmworkers, bystanders and the environment.

"MIDAS has a track record of safe use on more than 17,000 acres in the United States” .According to the report filed with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS), exhaustive sampling studies show that Florida groundwater remains absolutely free of methyl iodide, the active ingredient in MIDAS. Air samples in areas surrounding application sites show that concentrations of methyl iodide are consistently beneath the exposure standards established by the U.S. EPA and California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

"MIDAS has a track record of safe use on more than 17,000 acres in the United States,” said Royce Schulte, Product Manager for U.S. Fumigants for Arysta LifeScience. “This second interim report is part of a comprehensive study required for our registration in Florida. What we are seeing at use sites in Florida confirms findings of career scientists at the U.S. EPA and California Department of Pesticide Regulation that, when applied according to label directions, MIDAS can be used safely to protect crops without adverse effects on the environment or human health.”

Methyl iodide is a naturally occurring compound. Fruits, vegetables and other produce grown in MIDAS-fumigated soil are completely free of methyl iodide residue.

In addition, groundwater studies at test sites in two Florida counties show that breakdown components of methyl iodide are well within naturally occurring levels. The principle breakdown component of methyl iodide is iodide, a form of iodine, which is essential to the human diet, metabolism and health. According to the United States Geological Survey’s National Water Information System, iodide has been shown to occur in Florida groundwater at levels between 11 and 22,000 parts per billion (ppb). One of the two MIDAS test sites showed no levels of iodide in groundwater samples, while the other site showed iodide levels consistently within the range determined in the USGS monitoring. While Arysta LifeScience continues to work with DACS to determine the iodide source, water samples taken upstream from the site show iodide levels similar to samples collected at the field site, indicating iodide levels detected are within naturally occurring levels for the area.

Maximum concentrations of methyl iodide detected in the air surrounding test sites during MIDAS applications were nearly 5 times less than allowable limits set by the U.S. EPA and 2.5 times lower than levels established by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, indicating safe levels of exposure for applicators and workers by either measure.

The U.S. EPA registered MIDAS in 2007 following a five-year review described as one of the most comprehensive in the history of the agency. In December 2010, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation registered MIDAS following its own comprehensive review. Internationally, MIDAS is registered in Japan, Turkey, New Zealand, Morocco, Mexico and Guatemala with additional registrations pending in Australia, Costa Rica, Chile, Egypt, Israel, and South Africa.