Chemical name: Phenol, pentachloro- Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Pesticide Final regulatory action: The chemical is Severely Restricted Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action: The chemicals are severely restricted for certain pesticidal uses as biocides (see section 2.2.1). Pesticide use or uses that remain allowed: See section 2.2.1 The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: No Summary of the final regulatory action: Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is listed in Annex I of the Regulation on import and export of certain dangerous substances and preparations on the Bulgarian territory as a severely restricted chemical. The placing on the market and use of products containing PCP, its salts and esters, are prohibited by the Regulation relating bans and restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations. Substances and preparations containing PCP, its salts or esters may be placed on the market for use in industrial installations not permitting the emission of PCP in quantities greater than those prescribed by existing legislation: in the treatment of wood. Treated wood may not be used inside buildings or for the manufacture or re-treatment of containers intended for growing purposes, packaging that may come into contact with raw materials, intermediate or finished products destined for human and/or animal consumption; in the impregnation of fibres and heavy-duty textiles not intended in any case for clothing or for decorative furnishings; for special exceptions authorised on case-by-case basis. In any case, PCP used alone or as a component of preparations employed within the framework of the above exceptions must have a total hexachlorodibenzoparadioxin (HCDD) content of less than 2 ppm, may not be placed on the market in packages of less then 20 litres and may not be sold to the general public. Without prejudice to other labelling requirements, the packaging of such preparations should be marked clearly and indelibly: "Reserved for industrial and professional use". The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health and environment Summary of known hazards and risks to human health: Short-term exposure to pentachlorophenol can lead to poisoning that is rapidly fatal. Even small amounts passing through the skin can cause sweating, high fever, breathing trouble, chest and abdomen pain, and death. Brief exposure can damage the liver, kidney, skin, blood, lungs, nervous system, and gastro-intestinal tract. Contact can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Long-term exposure to pentachlorophenol may cause mutations in living cells, and may damage a developing fetus. Repeated exposure may damage the liver, kidneys, blood, and nervous system; it can also cause bronchitis and skin rash. Chronic poisoning may cause weight loss, weakness, and excessive sweating. Populations with potentially high exposure to pentachlorophenol are people involved in wood preservation and lumber mills, carpenters, loading dock workers, and pesticide applicators. Residents near pentachlorophenol manufacturing plants, cooling towers, and wastewater treatment sludge disposal sites may also be exposed to the chemical at higher levels than the general public. Some families living in homes treated with pentachlorophenol have been reported to have symptoms of chronic exposure. Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to human health: To avoid or reduce exposure of the chemical and the associated risks to human health. Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment: Because of its action as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, pentachlorophenol is highly hazardous for most forms of terrestrial and aquatic life, depending on the exposure level. It is a rather persistent and mobile pesticide and as a result it can occur in all environmental compartments. It is hazardous to fish. Extremely phytotoxic on contact. Drift should be avoided. The LC50 (48 hr) for rainbow and brown trout is 0.17 mg sodium pentachlorophenoxide. Sunlight will decompose pentachlorophenol to a number of toxic chemicals. The compound is slightly toxic to practically non-toxic to bird species. PCP is moderately persistent in the soil environment, with a reported field half-life of 45 days. In the water environment, PCP is mainly bound to sediments and suspended particles in water. PCP may be taken up by plants; lettuce grown on soil containing PCP contained low levels of PCP residues. Uptake and accumulation varies according to plant species. PCP is strongly toxic to plants. Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to the environment: To avoid or reduce exposure of the chemical and the associated risks to environment. Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 01/01/2004 |