GREENSBORO, N.C. – In a move that will limit several uses of the broad-spectrum insecticide diazinon, Novartis Crop Protection submitted its 60-day response July 18 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Preliminary Human Health and Ecological and Environmental Risk Assessment for the insecticide. The assessment process for diazinon, which is used to control a wide variety of agricultural and home and garden pests, reflects the EPA’s efforts to comply with the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
Based on the EPA’s preliminary assessment, Novartis has chosen to not fund research on the effects of indoor use of the product, thereby virtually guaranteeing that the product will soon be not permitted for use indoors. Although the indoor uses could be eliminated, outdoor uses of the product are likely to be approved based on the EPA’s data.
According to a release by Novartis, the company agreed with many conclusions in the preliminary assessment. For instance, outdoor granular diazinon products were considered by EPA to have an acceptable margin of safety under the new FQPA law. The agency also determined that no dietary or ground-water sourced drinking water concerns exist for the product.
However, the EPA requested that new data be developed to continue some uses of diazinon. Due to the additional investment required to generate this data, Novartis informed the EPA that it would no longer support diazinon’s indoor uses, which include greenhouse applications.
"If implemented as Congress intended, FQPA has commendable goals," said Pat Willenbrock, home and garden product manager for Novartis Crop Protection. "It makes sense to look at all the ways individuals may be exposed to pesticides, but it has also greatly multiplied the number of research dollars necessary to support product registrations."
Novartis’ decision not to pursue research to support indoor applications will eliminate uses in greenhouses, residential settings, commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, museums, sports facilities, stores and warehouses.
"We regret that Novartis has had to make the business decision to no longer support indoor uses of diazinon," said Willenbrock. "We regret the loss of this valuable tool, particularly for our colleagues in the ornamental and structural pest control markets. Unfortunately, sales in these sectors no longer justify the heavy commitment of resources now required to support any indoor uses."
Novartis has requested a meeting with the EPA to discuss these voluntary cancellations and the means to implement the decision.
Novartis Crop Protection’s entire response submitted to the EPA July 18 and more information about diazinon are available online at www.cp.us.novartis.com/diazinon.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: The review of diazinon arrives in the wake of the EPA’s recent ban of the insecticide Dursban (chlorpyrifos) for most uses. For more information about this ban click here:
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