Chlorpyrifos proposed regulatory decision

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) invited written submissions on the proposed regulatory decision for the reconsideration of chlorpyrifos, which was published in the APVMA Gazette on 12 December 2023.

All submissions were considered by the APVMA prior to finalisation of the reconsideration and publication of the final regulatory decision.

Submissions received

The APVMA sought comments from interested stakeholders in relation to the proposed decisions on the reconsideration of chlorpyrifos. A number of written submissions were received from stakeholders during this consultation period.

The APVMA received permission to publish 11 submissions received in response to the chlorpyrifos reconsideration proposed regulatory decision. These submissions included a significant amount of information in relation to the scientific risk assessments conducted by the APVMA, and raised a number of concerns including, but not limited to:

• the assumptions used in the worker health and safety and environmental risk assessments and associated risk assessment outcomes
• specific outcomes of the residues and trade risk assessments
• the adverse human health and environmental effects of chlorpyrifos
• the impact that the decision as proposed would have on industry.

Submissions are published on the APVMA website, excluding those requested to remain confidential. A summary of the submissions and the APVMA’s response to the matters raised is also provided in the Chlorpyrifos Final Review Technical Report.

Consultation feedback

The APVMA has considered all submissions received and published the final regulatory decision for the reconsideration of chlorpyrifos. A summary of the chlorpyrifos uses and whether they were supported or not supported in this decision is available on the APVMA website. 

The APVMA refined the chlorpyrifos scientific risk assessments after consideration of all information provided in the public consultation submissions. This included the refinement of certain assumptions used in risk assessments and further consideration of some additional risk mitigation measures. The APVMA’s response to matters raised in the submissions, details on to how the risk assessments have been revised, the revised risk assessments, and the revised risk assessment outcomes are summarised in the Chlorpyrifos Final Review Technical Report. 

Information provided in relation to the impact that the decision as proposed would have on industry has been noted. The APVMA must consider use of an agricultural chemical with respect to the statutory criteria (safety, efficacy, trade and labelling) in the Agvet Code. That is, whether use in accordance with instructions (or varied instruction) would be safe, efficacious and not pose an undue risk to trade and that labels contain adequate instructions. Submissions related to commercial or financial impacts were not able to be considered by the APVMA in determining whether a chemical meets the statutory criteria (safety, efficacy, trade and labelling) in the Agvet Code.