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 formulations and all uses are prohibited.

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

Summary of the final regulatory action:

Parathion has been deleted from the Poison List 1 of the Swiss Federal Agengy of Health (see attachment: "Verfügungen des BAG über die Klassierung von Stoffes Giftliste 1 (Verzeichnis der giftigen Stoffe) vom 28 Oktober 2003"). This means that all products ie pesticides containing Prathin loose their registration and will be deleted from Poison List 2 of the Swiss Federal Agengy for Health (see attached letters to Swiss companies).

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

Summary of known hazards and risks to human health:

Exposure during the use of parathion as an insecticide.

Using modelling ("German model"), operator exposure can be estimated for certain usages and exposure scenarios. In the assessment of the expected dermal exposure is has to be considered that parathion is readily absorbed through the skin.

Use of parathion as a plant protection product can, according to the model, lead to exposure of the operator or to intake of the substance in the range of the exposure concentrations that led to an inhibition of AChE in the above mentioned studies. These exposures have led to a too small margin of safety.

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

Reduction of operator exposure.

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

This cancellation of registrations is further supported due to the behavior of parathion in the environment and its possible effects on non-target organisms.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 01/09/2004