Phosmet IRED Facts
October 31, 2001
Action and Rationale
EPA is releasing its Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED)
for phosmet, which includes a determination to voluntarily cancel
certain uses, continue registered uses with additional risk reduction,
or continue uses under time-limited registrations with interim risk
mitigation. An organophosphate insecticide first registered in 1966,
phosmet is widely used in agriculture and provides important pest
control benefits to growers of orchard fruit, nut, and other crops.
However, some uses of phosmet also pose risks to agricultural workers,
as well as ecological risks. The Agency's actions address both the
risks and benefits associated with current agricultural uses of phosmet.
EPA will publish a notice of availability of this IRED, which will
include a 60-day comment period.
Worker and Ecological Risk Reduction
To eliminate phosmet exposure in residential settings, improve worker
safety, and lessen ecological risks, EPA's actions for phosmet include:
3 uses will be canceled immediately since
safer pest control alternatives are available;
9 crop uses would be eligible for time-limited registrations
for 5 years if the registrations are amended to require additional risk
reduction measures;
33 uses would continue with additional risk mitigation
measures.
Time-Limited Registrations
The Agency has taken the approach of a time-limited registration for
some uses of phosmet because both the risk to reentry workers and the
benefits of the use on crops such as apples and blueberries are high.
"High benefits" means that the withdrawal of phosmet from
the market would result in significant economic impacts on the fruit
industry. These effects are largely determined by the lack of alternative
methods to control pest pressure effectively and economically.
To protect agricultural workers during the time-limited registration period, a variety of new and stringent
precautions would be implemented. These include longer intervals before workers may re-enter treated areas, reducing the amount of pesticide that may be applied, and in some cases limiting the number of applications.
EPA's Review Process
The phosmet IRED concludes EPA's review of this individual pesticide
through the organophosphate pilot public participation process. Through
this process, EPA exchanged information on phosmet's uses, risks, and
benefits with stakeholders and the public, and obtained significant
input from interested parties. This input helped the Agency determine
whether phosmet is eligible for reregistration and meets the safety
standard set by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996. A final
reregistration decision will be issued following completion of the cumulative
risk assessment for the organophosphate pesticides.
Risk Mitigation
EPA's phosmet decision includes the following measures to reduce risks
to workers, consumers, and the environment:
To Reduce Worker Risks....
increase Restricted Entry Intervals (REIs)
increase Pre-Harvest Interval (PHI) where appropriate
require closed transfer systems
require enclosed cabs or maximum personal protective equipment
(PPE) for applicators
registrants must conduct studies and provide data on monitoring
cholinesterase levels of field workers; on the feasibility of using
gloves; and update benefits information
To Reduce Ecological Risks...
add spray drift language to labels
add language for inward nozzle spray
limit application amount
prohibit application during bloom period
To Encourage Use of Safer Alternatives...
encourage growers to develop Pest Management Strategic Plans
issue time-limited registrations
Provisions of the Phosmet IRED
Action: Voluntary
Cancellation
|
Date: Following Federal
Register publication
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Use: | Domestic pets |
Household ornamental |
Household fruit trees |
Action: Time-limited
Registration
|
Date: Over a 5-year
period
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Crop:
|
Apples Apricots Blueberries, highbush |
Crabapples Grapes Nectarines |
Peaches Pears Plums/prunes |
Action:
Continued Registration with New Requirements
|
|||
---|---|---|---|
Crop:
|
Alfalfa |
Chestnut Chinquapin nuts Christmas trees Clover Cotton Cranberries Evergreen trees Filberts Fire ants Hickory nuts Kiwifruit |
Macadamia nuts |