AgroPages-Cheminova reasserts 2010 Brazil parathion-methyl phase-out-Agricultural news

Cheminova has reiterated its intention to halt sales of the “highly-toxic” organophosphate insecticide, parathion-methyl, in Brazil by 2010. The company’s message follows its support of last month’s injunction served against the Ministry of Health’s national health surveillance agency, the Anvisa, suspending the re-evaluation programme for 14 pesticide active ingredients. The agency had nine ais still to reassess, including parathion-methyl.
Cheminova opposed the process as “it does not follow current law that requires assessment from the Ministries of Agriculture and the Environment”, it says. The Anvisa has since passed a Resolution to create a commission composed of the three Ministries to carry out reassessments.
The company says it took part in the last re-evaluation of the ai in Brazil in 2002, adding that it “contributes with all scientific investigations, which are subsequently checked by the authorities”. Cheminova is committing “large resources” to develop and register less toxic alternatives, it says. The company submitted a plan in January last year to the UN FAO to phase out certain highly toxic ais in developing countries by 2010. They included parathion-methyl.
Cheminova expects the sale of parathion-methyl to continue in Brazil beyond the phase-out of its products, as the “authorities recognise the ai’s importance”. The injunction suspended the reassessment of: the fungicide, thiram; the herbicide, paraquat; and the insecticides, carbofuran, endosulfan, methamidophos, parathion-methyl, phorate, phosmet and trichlorfon.