Hi All,

The review of chlorpyrofos (Dursban and Furadan) products is also extending to Canada.  Furadan is used on the Canadian prairies for the management of lygus bugs and has resulted in a number of bee poisioning incidences.  On the basis of the re-evaluation the US the manufactures of chlorpyrofos, Dow AgroScience, Cheminova and Makteshim, are voluntarily cancelling their home and garden registrations.  The agricultural uses, namely Furadan, are expected to follow.  The reason the manufactuers are prompting voluntary cancellation is that new data has come to light which suggests increased neurotoxic sensitivity of fetuses to chlorpyrofos.  New margins of safety adopted by EPA requires that no person should be exposed to any more than 1/1000 of the level at which no effect occurs in experimental animals.  The stringent new safety margins combined with the new data will likely make continued registration unlikely.

For anyone wanting more information on the re-evaluation of chlorpyrifos in Canada visit the Pest Management Regulatory Agency web site;

www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pmra-arla

The re-evaluation note number is REV2000-01.

Adony Melathopoulos
Apiculture Biotechnologist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Beaverlodge Research Farm
Box CP 29
Beaverlodge, Alberta CANADA
T0H 0C0

T +1 780 354 5130
F +1 780 354 8171