Argentina prohibits pesticides based on Ethyl Chlorpyrifos and Methyl Chlorpyrifos

By Leonardo Gottems, Reporter for AgroPages

In Argentina, the National Agrifood Health and Quality Service (Senasa) has prohibited the use of phytosanitary products formulated based on Chlorpyrifos ethyl and Chlorpyrifos methyl from 2023.

This was established by resolution No. 414/2021, published on August 4, 2021, in the Official Gazette.

Senasa prohibited the import of this active ingredient in September, and until the end of the year, stopped its distribution locally. The prohibition of commercialization and use will be given as of 455 days from the effective date of resolution No. 414/2021.

“From that date, the registration of active ingredients and phytosanitary products containing Chlorpyrifos ethyl and Chlorpyrifos methyl will be automatically removed from the National Registry of Plant Therapeutics in charge of the Directorate of Agrochemicals and Biologicals under the National Directorate of Plant Protection of Senasa,” the text indicated.

Likewise, Senasa's decision includes reducing the maximum residue limits (MRLs) that can be contained in foods that have been treated with Chlorpyrifos in their production process.

“The limit for determining Chlorpyrifos ethyl and Chlorpyrifos methyl is set at 0.01 milligrams per kilogram for all agricultural products and by-products that are imported or produced locally for internal consumption, from 575 days of entry into force of the present resolution,” the document specified.

Reading from the resolution, Senasa explained that “the active principle Chlorpyrifos is undergoing the registration review processes in many regulatory agencies worldwide.”

In this framework, the Directorate of Agrochemicals and Biologicals “has carried out a comprehensive review of scientific background on the risks to human health associated with this active substance,” which “included the results of new chronic toxicology studies.”

“Due to the background review, the directorate updated the chronic toxicological parameters and the safety coefficients that determine the admissible daily intake used to carry out the consumer risk analysis of the approved uses of Chlorpyrifos. As a result of the analysis, it is necessary to restrict the approved agricultural uses,” the text added.