EPA has issued a final rule revoking all carbofuran tolerances, or residue limits in food. Carbofuran – an N-methyl carbamate insecticide and nematicide – has been registered to control pests in soil and on leaves in a variety of field, fruit, and vegetable crops.
In May 2009, EPA concluded that dietary, worker, and ecological risks are unacceptable for all uses of carbofuran, determining that all products containing carbofuran generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on humans and the environment and do not meet safety standards, and therefore are ineligible for reregistration.
In May 2009, EPA completed action to revoke existing carbofuran tolerances (residue limits in food) due to unacceptable dietary risks, especially to children, from consuming a combination of food and water with carbofuran residues. After resolution of the tolerance revocations, EPA plans to cancel any remaining carbofuran uses. EPA is encouraging growers to switch to safer pesticides or other environmentally preferable pest control strategies. The agency has set the effective date in December, believing this is the quickest time frame in which the decision can be practically implemented, and to ensure that growers have been provided with a reasonable amount of time to allow them to develop appropriate pest management strategies.
Because dietary exposures to infants and children are of particular concern, the agency has moved to revoke carbofuran tolerances first before canceling remaining registrations. Carbofuran tolerances for all commodities will be revoked effective Dec. 31, 2009, after which no food crops in the U.S will be allowed to have carbofuran residues, unless it can be shown that the crop was treated before that date. EPA is working with the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that food treated before the effective date of the tolerance revocations can continue to be sold and distributed.
Carbofuran is currently used on only a small percentage of the U.S. food supply, and most food is not expected to contain carbofuran residues. EPA says its action is focused on promoting greater food safety.
