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European Union - Final Regulatory Action
Carbaryl CAS number:
63-25-2
Date circular:
12/12/2007

Chemical name:

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 plant protection products

Pesticide use or uses that remain allowed:

Not relevant

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 carbaryl. Carbaryl is not included in the list of authorized active ingredients in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. The authorizations for plant protection products containing carbaryl had to be withdrawn by 21 November 2007. From 25 May 2007, no authorizations for plant protection products containing carbaryl can be granted or renewed.

The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health and environment

Summary of known hazards and risks to human health:

A robust risk assessment for the safety of the consumer was not possible due to the lack of information on the actual levels of the 4- and 5-hydroxy carbaryl in apples. Considering that the exposure to the parent compound only is close to 50% of the ARfD for some specific population sub-groups, it cannot be excluded that the contribution of the metabolites leads to a global exceedance of the ARfD for those sub-groups.
There are also concerns about the carcinogenicity of carbaryl.

Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to human health:

Reduction of risk from the use of plant protection products.

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

- A high long-term risk to insectivorous birds and a high acute risk to herbivorous mammals.
- A high acute and chronic risk to aquatic invertebrates which requires considerable risk mitigation measures (with a 50 m buffer zone, the risk is still not acceptable).
- A high risk to non-target arthropods (particularly insects) which requires considerable risk mitigation measures, e.g. no-spray buffer zones of more than 250 m would be required to protect non-target arthropods in the off-field area.

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

Reduction of risk from the use of plant protection products

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 25/05/2007