Chemical name: Oxirane

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 uses and formulations prohibited

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:

Ethylene Oxide is banned in Lesotho under the Environment Act 2008.

Therefore it cannot be imported, manufactured, handled, sold, transported

or used as pesticide in the country.

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

Summary of known hazards and risks to human health:

The reasons leading to the regulatory action are related to the human

health. Form for notification of final regulatory action to ban or severely restrict a chemical Page 5

Respiratory tract irritation was reported as hoarseness (Thiess, 1963) and

coughing in 5 cases after acute accidental exposure to ethylene oxide

vapour (Metz, 1939 in WHO, 1985).

Acute effects on the nervous system in nearly all inhalation cases were

marked by nausea, recurrent vomiting and headache. Less frequently

reported effects included decreased consciousness (one case of coma),

over-excitement, sleeplessness, muscular weakness, diarrhoea, and

abdominal discomfort (Blackwood and Erskine, 1938, Metz, 1939,

Capellini and Ghezzi, 1965 in WHO, 1985; Thiess, 1963). Accidental skin

exposure resulted in effects on the nervous system, such as nausea and

repeated vomiting (Sexton and Henson, 1949).

Accidental exposure of the eyes to the vapour of ethylene oxide can lead to

conjunctivitis (Thiess, 1963; Joyner, 1964). Exposure of 12 men via a

leaking sterilizer resulted in neurological disorders (Gross et al., 1979, Jay

et al., 1982 in WHO, 1985).

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

The ban of the uses of Ethylene Oxide will eliminate hazards due to

occupational exposure and exposure through contaminated ground water.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 16/06/2009