On Monday May 11, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revoked regulations that permitted small residues of the pesticide carbofuran in food. Carbofuran is a toxic insecticide that does not meet current U.S. food safety standards. The EPA’s action will eliminate residues of carbofuran in food, including all imports, in a move to protect people, especially children, from dietary risk. Ultimately, the EPA will entirely remove this pesticide from the market.
The EPA is proceeding to cancel the remaining carbofuran registrations, or licenses, which will address risks to pesticide applicators and birds in treated fields. In 2006, the EPA identified significant dietary, ecological and worker risks from the use of carbofuran and concluded that all uses must be eliminated. While the producer, FMC Corporation, voluntarily withdrew 22 uses of this pesticide, it was insufficient for the agency to conclude that dietary exposures to carbofuran are safe.
The final carbofuran tolerance rule becomes effective in December, and the EPA is actively encouraging growers to quickly switch to safer pesticides or other environmentally preferable pest control strategies.
For more information on carbofuran visit the EPA´s website: Carbofuran Pesticide