Chemical name: Acetamide, 2-chloro-N-(ethoxymethyl)-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)- 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 formulations containing Acetochlor are banned. All uses are banned Pesticide use or uses that remain allowed: None The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: Yes Summary of the final regulatory action: On recommendation of the Sahelian Pesticide Committee (CSP), Decision N°002/MC/2017 to ban all products containing Acetochlor was signed on 20 March 2017 by CILSS coordinating Ministry. The final regulatory action entered into force on 20 March 2017.The use of all pesticides containing Acetochlor has been banned due to its potential for water contamination. The import, manufacture for domestic use, distribution and sale are also banned. The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health and environment Summary of known hazards and risks to human health: High risk of surface and groundwater contamination by acetochlor and its metabolites; Potential risk for human exposure through surface and ground water contamination by the metabolite norchloro acetochlor, which is genotoxic: ground water is used as drinking water reservoir and surface water is used for humans and animals.; difficulties for the population in finding suitable personal protection equipment; The fragile ecology of CILSS countries, sometimes characterized by torrential rainfall on soils which are very often poor in organic matter and therefore subject to erosion and leaching; The absence of an environmental management system respecting buffer stripes between treated fields and streams; this precaution is not possible in the Sahel, entailing an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment. The use of Acetochlore is restricted in the USA. It can only be used by certified applicators. It cannot be used on coarse soils (for ex. sandy soil with less than 3% of organic matter) where the depth of ground water in less than 30 feet. Acetochlore cannot be applied with any irrigation system (irrigation by flooding included) nor can it be applied by aerial application. Acetochlor cannot be applied directly on water or in areas where surface water is present. Furthermore, Acetochlore must not be mixed or filled less than 50 feet from surface water or wells, unless adequate confinement or disposal measures exist. EFSA report (EFSA, 2011) mentions that health risks for operators were accentuated because the estimated exposure to EC formulations recorded higher values (between 1435 and 5550) then the acceptable operator exposure level (AOEL), despite the use of trailed sprayerContrary to USA and EU countries, the recommended use in Sahel countries was low volume application (knapsack sprayer) of the formulation diluted with water at doses between 2,5 and 3,5 l/ha on cotton. Frequency of application was once a crop-year. Recommended protection devices were protective clothing, goggles and gloves. The evaluation of applicator exposure to the level of use of acetochlor under recommended conditions of use in the Sahel registered an AEOL value between 15 305 and 20 095 %. Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to human health: Reduction of risks to human health posed by the use of pesticides containing acetochlor Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment: High risk to non targeted terrestrial plants ; Long term high risk to herbivorous birds Surface water contamination and high risk to aquatic organisms (surface water concentration: 10.6-76.6 µg/l (Soleri, 2013)). According to PIRI scenario 1, acetochlor has a high potential for contamination of lakes Lemouroudougou and Karfiguela in Burkina Faso and an extremely high potential according to scenario 3 (Ouedraogo R. et al., 2012) High short-term risk to birds drinking contaminated water following post emergence treatment ;Risk of soil impoverishment in the Sahel Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to the environment: Reduction of risks to the environment pose by the use of pesticides containing acetochlor Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 20/03/2017 |