Dimethoate proposed regulatory decisions report

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is reconsidering the approvals, registrations and product labels associated with the insecticide and miticide, dimethoate. The scope of this review was to assess the toxicological, occupational health and safety, residues and dietary exposure and trade risks associated with the approvals and registrations for dimethoate.

The APVMA invites comment on the Dimethoate proposed regulatory decision report: Volume 1 and Submissions and technical reports: Volume 2 from 26 October 2016 to 27 January 2017. Learn more about the review of dimethoate.

The APVMA has assessed the available information and concluded that the use of dimethoate according to its current instructions for use does not meet the safety criteria listed in sections 5A of the Agvet Codes for continued registration and approval.

The APVMA is proposing to:

• affirm the approvals of dimethoate active constituents
• vary the label approvals of the most recent label approval for 400 g/L dimethoate products
• affirm the registrations of those products and the varied labels
• cancel the registrations of home garden products containing more than 100 g/L dimethoate and
• limit pack sizes of the agricultural 400 g/L dimethoate products to volumes of greater than 1 litre.

As a separate process the APVMA is also proposing to amend the Standard for dimethoate active constituent to include maximum impurity levels for omethoate and isodimethoate. The consultation period for this ends 27 January 2017.

The proposed label variations include:

• deletion of pre-harvest use on:
  • abius, bananas, casimiroas, custard apples grapes, passionfruit, paw paw,, santols, sapodillas, stonefruit (current uses prior to petal fall), wax jambus, artichoke (globe), broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chilli, parsnips, radish, sweetcorn, and leucaena,
• deletion of post-harvest use on chilli, eggplants and persimmons
• deletion of seed dressing uses
• restriction of pastures, fodder and oilseed uses to early crop emergence stages only
• amendments to safety directions
• addition of re-entry intervals.

Invitation for submissions

The APVMA invites persons and organisations to submit their comments and suggestions on these proposed decisions. Further information is available in the Dimethoate proposed regulatory decision report: Volume 1 and Submissions and technical reports: Volume 2 and the associated technical assessments.

All submissions will be assessed by the APVMA prior to finalisation of the reconsideration and publication of the final regulatory decision report.

Preparing your comments for submission

When making your comments:

• clearly identify the issue and clearly state your point of view
• give reasons for your comments, supporting them, if possible, with relevant information and indicating the source of the information you have used
• suggest to the APVMA any alternative solution you may have for the issue.

Please structure your comments in point form, referring each point to the relevant section in the report.

All submissions to the APVMA will be acknowledged in writing via email or by post.

When making a submission please include:

• contact name
• company or group name (if relevant)
• postal address
• email address (if available)
• the date you made the submission.

Note that all submissions received are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982, the Privacy Act 1988 and the Agvet Codes. All personal and confidential commercial information (CCI) material contained in submissions will be treated confidentially. (A full definition of ‘confidential commercial information’ is contained in the Agvet Code).

The closing date for submissions is COB 27 January 2017.

Submissions can be sent to:

Director, Chemical Review
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
PO Box 6182
KINGSTON ACT 2604
Telephone: +61 2 6210 4749 Fax: +61 2 6210 4776
Email: chemicalreview@apvma.gov.au
Website: www.apvma.gov.au