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European Union - Final Regulatory Action
Atrazine CAS number:
1912-24-9
Date circular:
12/06/2005

Chemical name: 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4-diamine, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-N'-(1-methylethyl)-

Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Pesticide

Final regulatory action: The chemical is Severely Restricted

Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action:

All the applications as plant protection products, except the essential uses listed below.

Pesticide use or uses that remain allowed:

Authorisations for essential uses may be maintained until 30 June 2007 by the EC Member States indicated, provided that they:
(a)ensure that such plant protection products remaining on the market are relabelled in order to match the restricted use and conditions;
(b)impose all appropriate risk mitigation measures to reduce any possible risks in order to ensure the protection of human and animal health and the environment; and
(c)ensure that alternative products or methods for such uses are being seriously sought, in particular by means of action plans.
For all non-essential uses, for which existing authorisation had to be withdrawn by 10 September 2004, the EC Member States may grant a period of grace for disposal, storage, placing on the market and use of existing stocks that must expire no later than 10 September 2005. For essential uses that can continue to be authorised until 30 June 2007, the grace period for disposal etc of the existing stocks is 6 months (i.e. up until 31 December 2007).
List of essential uses that may continue to be authorised
Member States Use
Ireland Maize
Forestry
United Kingdom Sweetcorn
Forestry
Spain Maize
Portugal Maize
Hungary Maize*
Poland Maize*
* As provided for in Commission Regulation 835/2004/EC, adapting Commission Decision 2004/248/EC

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

Summary of the final regulatory action:

It is prohibited to place on the market or use plant protection products containing atrazine. Atrazine is not included in the list of authorised active ingredients in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. The authorisations for plant protection products containing atrazine had to be withdrawn by 10 September 2004. From 16 March 2004 no authorisations for plant protection products containing atrazine could be granted or renewed. For certain essential uses for specific Member States listed in the Annex to Commission Decision 2004/248/EC a prolonged period of withdrawal until 30 June 2007 may be allowed (see point 2.5.2).

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

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

The final regulatory action was taken because of the insufficient information to satisfy the requirements set out in Annex II and Annex III of Directive 91/414/EEC. In particular, the available monitoring data were insufficient to demonstrate that in large areas concentration of the active substance and its breakdown products would not exceed 0.1 g/L in groundwater. Moreover, it could not be assured that continued use in other areas would permit satisfactory recovery of groundwater quality where concentrations already exceeded 0.1 g/L in groundwater.

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

Further reduction of risk from plant protection uses.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 10/09/2004