Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will set specific geographical restrictions on the use of insecticides such as chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion by changing pesticide labeling requirements and issuing endangered species protection notices, in order to protect federal threatened or endangered species and their critical habitats.
Chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion are organic phosphorus insecticides mainly used in fields such as crops, landscaping, and forest protection. Based on biological assessments, the EPA has found that the current registered uses of these three insecticides may have adverse effects on one or more listed species.
In order to reduce the harm of pesticides to threatened species, EPA has consulted with the National Marine Fisheries Administration (NMFS) and registered enterprises, and NMFS has issued a "no harm" biological opinion for the three pesticides mentioned above. The registered enterprise promises to modify product labels and includes measures to reduce runoff and drift. The EPA will also issue a notice to restrict the use of these insecticides in specific areas.
The announcement includes restrictions on application time, dosage, and mixing with other pesticides. The notices for chlorpyrifos and diazinon also include wind speed restrictions; The Malathion Proclamation requires the establishment of a buffer zone between the application area and the habitat. These mitigation measures will not only protect listed species, but also reduce the impact on non listed species.
At present, the labeling of non food use chlorpyrifos products has been approved for updating. The EPA has requested and obtained NMFS approval to extend the implementation of the "No Harm" biological opinion until August 2024, in order to update the labeling for those food uses.
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