U.S. EPA releases interim decision on organophosphate pesticide dicrotophos

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Interim Registration Review Decision (ID) for dicrotophos, an organophosphate pesticide used on cotton for controlling arthropod pests. The ID released today responds to public comments on the Proposed Interim Decision (PID) which was published in the public docket in June 2024. It updates some of the Federal Insecticide Fungicide Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Interim Ecological Mitigation measures after considering public comments on the Endangered Species Act Workplan Update and additional EPA and interagency review of the mitigation measures.

The PID identified human health risks of concern for occupational handlers and bystanders from non-occupational spray drift, and ecological risks of concern for birds, mammals, terrestrial invertebrates (pollinators) and aquatic invertebrates (freshwater and estuarine/marine). 

To address worker, bystander and ecological risks, the agency has identified mitigation measures for dicrotophos products, which include the FIFRA Interim Ecological Mitigation measures to address pesticide risks to nontarget species. The following measures will be implemented by changes to product labels:

• Reduction in the single maximum application rate for aerial application to address risks to occupational handlers,

  
  

• Implementation of buffers to provide distance between application areas and areas where bystanders might be located to avoid potential bystander exposure, particularly to children,

  
  

• Use of applications that minimize runoff using EPA’s mitigation menu,

  
  

• Inclusion of pollinator stewardship language on labels, including best management practices for pollinator protection, and

  
  

• Addition of guidance on labels to instruct users how to report an ecological incident.

EPA will consider if additional mitigation measures are necessary for dicrotophos prior to the final decision.

The ID is posted to www.regulations.gov on docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0440