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Authorization for MRLs of Chlorpyrifos and Chlorpyrifos-methyl may not be renewed by EU

 ipc  04/10/2019  3381

European Union Commission through the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released statement on 31 July 2019 regarding the available outcomes of the human health assessment in the context of the peer review for the renewal active substances of Chlorpyrifos and Chlorpyrifos-methyl for the MRL which concluded the following:

"...The Present statement contains a summary of the main finding of the assessment related to mammalian toxicology and human health...Due to the fact that the genotoxic potential of Chlorpyrifos (also valid for Chlorpyrifos-methyl) remains unclear, toxicological reference values could not be established...In the absence of toxicological reference values, a risk assessment for consumer, operators, workers, bystanders and residents cannot be conducted...Based on the above results, it is considered that the approval criteria which are applicable to human health as laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009 are not met."

Therefore, following the halting of the authorization of both active substances which are scheduled to expire on 31 January 2020, the acceptable MRL of both substances will be lowered to 0.01 ppm. The deny for renewal of both substances will affect pepper producing countries which use Chlorpyrifos and Chlorpyrifos-methyl on their pepper crop, in entering European market. Respected regulatory body of IPC member countries and the industry have to start formulating action in controlling quality of their pepper so as to meet the standard set by EU.

Despites facing the upcoming ban in 2020 from European Union, United States' Environmental Protection Agency has announced in July 2019 that it will not ban the use of Chlorpyrifos following a petition from environmental groups that try to ban the widely used pesticide which some researches shown to have a potential to damage brain development in children. (https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/18/epa-will-not-ban-chlorpyrifos-1603479) img

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