Title: Australia will continue to use chlorpyrifos despite health and environment hazards
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has announced that it considers chlorpyrifos safe to use on food crops. The APVMA reaffirmed the use of 49 pesticides containing the super toxic insecticide in its final technical review, released earlier this month.
In press release the APVMA said: "Several epidemiological studies and reviews from regulatory authorities have associated pre- and post-natal exposure to chlorpyrifos with changes in brain morphology, delays in cognitive and motor functions, problems with attention and tremors ... "This, in addition to high toxicity to mammals, indicates a potential for damage to human health," the APVMA said.
Despite their own finding on the hazards, the APVMA considered the commercial advantages of using the toxin to be more important.
APVMA Chief Executive Officer Mr Scott Hansen said the APVMA's decision to ban only three of the 54 registered products containing chlorpyrifos, " ... was based on a rigorous, evidence-based scientific review ... We have considered all submissions and available information to inform thorough scientific risk assessments for the use of chlorpyrifos in agricultural and veterinary chemical products ... additional chlorpyrifos uses have been supported in the final regulatory decision." Mr Hansen said.
Mr Hansen went on to say, "This final decision is comparable with actions taken by international regulators, including Canada and Europe."
The APVMA's technical report detailed that chlorpyrifos has not been approved in the European Union since 2020 while in Canada all used of chlorpyrifos ceased in 2023.
"The APVMA considered that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruling to remove all tolerances for chlorpyrifos residues on food commodities was revoked on 28 December 2023, but this did not change the outcomes of this decision" Mr Hansen said.
So, the long and short, again the APVMA has demonstrated a reckless disregard for human health and safety as well as a refusal to conform to international standards. Australia remains a pesticide pariah.
