Certain essential but inherently hazardous agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemical products may be declared by the Agvet Code Regulations to be restricted chemical products (RCPs). These products are strictly controlled. RCPs can only be supplied to persons who are authorised to use the product under the laws of a state or territory.
The relevant Australian state or territory authority determines who may be considered as an ‘authorised person’, based on advice from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) following a risk assessment of the chemical product. These are people with specific training or qualifications in the safe handling and use of RCPs.
Australian state and territory authorities implement the RCP scheme through their respective control of use legislative frameworks by authorising persons to use RCPs once they have successfully completed the relevant training and/or met other requirements.
A chemical product may not be declared by the Agvet Code Regulations to be a RCP unless the APVMA has certified in writing that it is in the public interest for the product to be so declared. In deciding to give such a certificate, the APVMA must have regard to the following:
- Whether the product may have an effect that is harmful to human beings.
- Whether the product may have any unintended effect that is harmful to any animal, plant or thing or to the environment.
- Whether any special knowledge, skill or qualification is required in the preparation or handling of the product.
- Whether any special equipment is required to use the product with safety.
There are 12 chemical products or classes of chemical products which have been declared to be restricted chemical products in Schedule 4 of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Regulations 1995.
| Number | Restricted chemical products |
|---|---|
| 1 | A chemical product containing ethylene dibromide (also known as EDB) |
| 2 | A chemical product containing 4-aminopropiophenone (also known as PAPP) |
| 3 | A chemical product containing sodium monofluoroacetate (also known as 1080) |
| 4 | A chemical product containing acrolein |
| 5 | A chemical product that is a pre construction termiticide product containing bifenthrin |
| 6 | A chemical product that is a pre construction termiticide product containing chlorpyrifos |
| 7 | A chemical product containing endosulfan |
| 8 | A chemical product containing pindone that is a concentrate and for which the relevant label instructions require further mixing with carriers before it is ready to use as a bait |
| 9 | A chemical product containing mevinphos |
| 10 | A chemical product containing rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) (also known as rabbit calicivirus) that is in injectable form and requires mixing with carriers such as oats or carrot before it is ready to use as a bait |
| 11 | A vertebrate pest control chemical product containing fenthion, alphachloralose or 4 aminopyridine |
| 12 |
All chemical products with formulations containing, as active constituents, all 3 of the following in various chemical forms: (a) copper (b) chromium (c) arsenic |
Supplying restricted chemical products
A person must not supply a restricted chemical product, or cause or permit a restricted chemical product to be supplied, to a person who is not authorised to use the product under a relevant state or territory law (that is, a person who is not authorised by a relevant state or territory authority).
A person must not supply a restricted chemical product, or cause or permit a restricted chemical product to be supplied, unless the label attached to the container for the product contains the words:
RESTRICTED CHEMICAL PRODUCT – ONLY TO BE SUPPLIED TO OR USED BY AN AUTHORISED PERSON
Becoming authorised to use an RCP
The requirements for a person to become authorised to use a RCP may vary across the states and territories. For further information on state and territory control of use restrictions for RCPs, contact your relevant state or territory authority.