Australia suspended two fenthion-based products

On 31 October 2012, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) suspended the registrations and the most recent label approvals for two chemical products containing fenthion (one used in agricultural situations and one used in the home garden) and cancelled previous label approvals, these two products are all from Bayer CropScience. The product registrations and most recent label approvals have been suspended for a period of 12 months, ending on 30 October 2013. 

The APVMA has decided that the continued use of, or other dealings with these two products containing fenthion according to the instructions on approved labels may be an undue hazard to the safety of people using anything containing fenthion residues. The instructions will restrict the use of fenthion on a number of food crops due to potential short term dietary risks.

The announcement of the instructions follows the release of the 2012 Fenthion Residues and Dietary Risk Assessment Report in September which found that its use on many crops could exceed the recommended public health standard.

New label instructions reduce the amount of fenthion that can be used on some crops, and prohibit its use on specific fruits and vegetables, which mitigates the potential health risks identified in the residues report.

The new instructions also prohibit the use of fenthion on all fruit and vegetables grown in the home garden.

The APVMA received over 70 submissions in response to the proposed suspension and publication of the residues report in September.

The new use instructions will be in place for 12 months while the environment and occupational health and safety components of the review are completed.