MONTVALE, N.J. - AgrEvo Environmental Health has agreed to voluntarily cancel bendiocarb, the active ingredient in its Ficam and Turcam line of products. The cancellation comes as bendiocarb was scheduled for reregistration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the Food Quality Protection Act.
George Raymond, marketing manager for AgrEvo's professional products division, says AgrEvo decided to cancel bendiocarb because EPA is requiring studies that are too costly to justify further registration.
"Based on our estimates, the cost to run those studies exceeds the value of the product," Raymond said.
Bendiocarb, the active ingredient in Ficam, is a carbamate insecticide used to control a variety of household and ornamental pests. First registered in 1980, Ficam was used for a variety of indoor and outdoor applications, and was available in several formulations, including granular, wettable powder and dust. Turcam, a bendiocarb-based product used in the lawn care market, will also be canceled.
As part of the cancellation agreement, Ficam end-use products used in or around homes can be sold or distributed by the registrant until Oct. 31, 2000. Turcam end-use products can be sold or distributed until Dec. 31, 2001. Once in the channels of trade both products can be used until all quantities are exhausted.
AgrEvo will continue to produce and sell bendiocarb products for Mexico, Canada and the rest of the world.
In recent years, AgrEvo's line of DeltaGard products have replaced Ficam in many uses. DeltaGard is available as a dust, granule or liquid concentrate and features the pyrethroid deltamethrin as the active ingredient.
For more information visit the AgrEvo homepage at www.agrevopco.com.