APVMA releases chlorpyrifos proposed regulatory decision

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has published its proposed decision on the reconsideration of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide used for the control of pests in various agricultural, horticultural, commercial, and veterinary situations.

The APVMA is proposing to:

• vary and affirm active constituent approvals that comply with the proposed amended purity requirements

• vary and affirm chemical product registrations and associated label approvals where at least one use pattern is proposed to be supported

• cancel remaining active constituent approvals, chemical product registrations and associated label approvals.

The proposed decision includes consideration of all current active constituents, chemical products and associated labels.

A summary of chlorpyrifos uses, which are proposed to be supported or not supported, are available on the APVMA website. A summary of the underlying risk assessments has also been published in the Review Technical Report.

Public consultation on the proposed decision is open for 3 months and will close 11 March 2024. The APVMA Gazette, 12 December 2023 includes more information about the proposed decision and how to make a submission.

APVMA Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Melissa McEwen, said the proposed decision to either vary and affirm or to cancel specific registrations and label approvals is based on potential risks to user safety and the environment.

″The proposal relies on currently available information and is a contemporary assessment of the hazards and risks associated with the use of chlorpyrifos in agricultural and veterinary products in Australia,″ Dr McEwen said.

″The proposed decision to cancel certain uses is also comparable with action already taken by international regulators, including Canada, the USA, and Europe.″

Dr McEwen acknowledged that chlorpyrifos has been seen as a cheap and effective insecticide and is used widely across agricultural industries.

″While it is not the role of the APVMA to identify alternative chemicals to control pests in certain situations, if our final decision is to cancel specific uses of chlorpyrifos, we are committed to prioritising applications for off-label permits, or to vary current products or register new products, where no alternatives to chlorpyrifos are currently approved.″

Registered chemical products containing chlorpyrifos can continue to be used during the consultation period, in accordance with the approved label instructions. The APVMA will review feedback received from the consultation before making its final regulatory decision.

The proposed regulatory decision on chlorpyrifos is the first action proposed in response to the Ministerial Direction received by the APVMA on 13 July 2023. The APVMA intends to make decisions for other chemicals included in the Direction in 2024.