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European Union - Final Regulatory Action
Chlorfenapyr CAS number:
122453-73-0
Date circular:
12/12/2003

Chemical name: 1H-Pyrrole-3-carbonitrile, 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(ethoxymethyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-, 1H-Pyrrole-3-carbonitrile, 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(ethoxymethyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-

Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Pesticide

Final regulatory action: The chemical is Banned

Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action:

All applications as a plant protection product.

Pesticide use or uses that remain allowed:

The use of chlorfenapyr as a non-agricultural pesticide (for biocidal use) remains allowed. Chlorfenapyr has been notified, and will be evaluated in due course, under Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and the Council concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market (Official Journal of the European Communities L 123, 24.4.1998, p.1.) .

The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: Yes

Summary of the final regulatory action:

From the date of adoption of Commission Decision 2001/697/EC, that is from 5 September 2001, no provisional authorizations for plant protection products containing chlorfenapyr could be granted. Therefore it is prohibited to place these products on the EC market and to use them. Chlorfenapyr is excluded as an active ingredient in Annex I to the Directive 91/414/EEC.
No period of grace for disposal, storage, placing on the market and use of existing stocks of plant protection products containing chlorfenapyr was deemed necessary.

The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Environment

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

Final regulatory action was taken due to concerns with regard to fate and behaviour of the active substance in the environment and to protect non-target arthropods.
Properties and areas of concern considered in the risk assessment:
a) Fate and behaviour
- the persistence of the active substance and metabolite in soil and sediment,
- the contamination of sediment by run-off water and erosion,
b) Ecotoxicity
- The toxicity/exposure ratios (TER) for herbivorous and insectivorous birds (acute, short-term and long-term effects) and for herbivorous mammals (acute effects) related to the treatment of many crops are all smaller than the trigger values (5, 10).
- The TER for the most sensitive aquatic organisms (acute and chronic effects) related to the treatment of many crops (even with a non-treated zone of 100 m) are all much smaller than the trigger values (10, 100).
- The oral and contact hazard quotients for honeybees derived from laboratory tests corresponding to the treatment of several crops are much higher than the trigger value (50).
- In laboratory tests, 100 % mortality was observed in 5 other arthropod species (trigger value: 30 %).
- The TER for earthworms (acute effects) related to the treatment of ornamentals is slightly bigger than the trigger value (10).
- The treatment affects the nitrogen mineralization by soil micro-organisms.

Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to the environment:

Complete risk reduction to the environment from plant protection uses.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 05/09/2001