Chemical name: S-methyl (EZ)-N-(methylcarbamoyloxy)thioacetimidate 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: Ban all formulations and all uses. The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: Yes Summary of the final regulatory action: Based on the decision N. 001/DNSA/2014 Methomyl was banned by the National Directorate of Agrarian Services from further import and use in Mozambique. The ban of all uses and the cancellation of the products containing Methomyl in the country was decided due to the toxic nature and hazardous properties of this active substance which combined with the improper use in the country due to the local specific conditions of use can damage human and animal health. The decision to cancel the registration of Methomyl was taken as the last step of the project for Risk Reduction of Highly Hazardous Pesticides, which identified Highly Hazardous Pesticides that are registered in Mozambique. After consultations with different actors (public sector, private sector, civil society and others), cancelation of registrations and consequent non-approval for their use in Mozambique was approved. The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health Summary of known hazards and risks to human health: A project entitled Reducing Risks of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) in Mozambique was initiated by the Government of Mozambique with the objective to reduce the greatest risks associated with pesticide use in the country. The ultimate goal was to develop and implement an "HHP Risk Reduction Action Plan" for the most dangerous pesticides and use situations, resulting over time in the implementation of a variety of risk reduction measures based on a review of use conditions. In the first step of the project, a review of all the pesticides registered in Mozambique was carried out and a shortlist of highly hazardous pesticides was established. This shortlist was based on an assessment of the hazards of the pesticides, based on criteria established by the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Management (JMPM) (FAO/WHO, 2008). During the second step of the project, a use survey was carried out in selected regions and cropping systems in Mozambique. The main goal of the survey was to identify the conditions under which pesticides are being used in the country and their contribution to potential risks for human health and the environment. The third step of the project consisted of a stakeholder consultation to further discuss the use and risks of highly hazardous pesticides in Mozambique and fine-tune the shortlist based on the survey results and the expertise and experience of stakeholders. As result, a short list of HHPs, including "coming close" to HHPs, which were used in the country, was established. Methomyl 900g/kg (90%) SP pesticide formulation was shortlisted as HHP based on the following FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Management (JMPM) criterion for identification of HHPs: Pesticide formulations that meet the criteria of classes Ia or Ib of the WHO Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard; Methomyl 200 g/l (20%) SL pesticide formulations were shortlisted as pesticides "coming close" to HHPs based on the same above mentioned criteria. To evaluate this criterion, all pesticide formulations registered in Mozambique were classified using the above mentioned hazard classification. The oral and dermal LD50 value of the formulation, as provided in the registration dossier, was used as the basis for the classification. LD50 values for the formulation were available or could be estimated for all registered pesticide products except for three microbial pesticides and one citronella oil (i.e. > 99% of the total). Methomyl 900 g/kg pesticide formulations were identified as Highly hazardous Class Ib, whereas methomyl 200g/kg pesticide formulations were identified as WHO class II, but oral hazard close to Class Ib according to the JMPM criteria for HHPs based on the WHO International Classification of pesticides by hazards, and therefore considered and shortlisted as HHP and "coming close" to HHP, respectively (Come A.M.& van der Valk H., 2014.) Methomyl a.i. was registered in EU and in the US at the time of the study. Based on above pointed out, Methomyl was considered as HHP (Come & Van der Valk, 2014) and therefore the registration of Methomyl was discontinued considering the product harmful for the human health under the local conditions of use in Mozambique. Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to human health: Reducing the risk posed by the use of HHPs in Mozambique specially Methomyl in the context of human health and environment. Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 15/07/2014 |