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 n December 5, 2000, EPA announced an agreement to
phaseout diazinon, one of the most widely used pesticides in
the United States, for indoor uses, beginning in March 2001,
and for all lawn, garden and turf uses by December 2003.
 "The
Clinton-Gore Administration continues to aggressively target
for elimination those pesticides that pose the greatest risk
to human health and the environment, and especially those posing
the greatest risk to children," said Carol M. Browner, EPA
Administrator. "The action we are taking today is another
major step toward ensuring that all Americans can enjoy greater
safety from exposure to harmful pesticides."
"Today's
action will significantly eliminate the vast majority of organophosphate
insecticide products in and around the home, and by implementing
this phaseout, it will help encourage consumers to move to safer
pest control practice," said Browner.
Diazinon is
the pesticide most widely used by homeowners on lawns, and is
one of the most widely used pesticide ingredients for application
around the home and in gardens. It is used to control insects
and grub worms. The agreement reached today with the manufacturers,
Syngenta and Makhteshim Agan, will eliminate 75 percent of the
use, which amounts to more than 11 million pounds of the pesticide
used annually.
EPA is taking
this action under the Food Quality Protection Act, which President
Clinton signed into law in 1996 after the Administration helped
lead the way for the new, tougher national pesticide law. Since
then, EPA has targeted a large group of older, riskier pesticides
called organophosphates for review because they pose the greatest
potential risk to children. In August of 1999, for example, EPA
announced action against methyl parathion and azinphos methyl
to protect children from pesticide residues in food. The Agency
reached an agreement to halt by December 2000 the manufacture
of chlorpyrifos, or Dursban, for nearly all residential uses.
Diazinon used in homes, and on lawns and gardens is the latest
organophosphate to be phased out. Specifically, the terms of
the agreement implement the following phaseout schedules:
For the indoor
household use, the registration will be canceled on March 2001,
and all retail sales will stop by December 2002. For all lawn,
garden and turf uses, manufacturing stops in June 2003; all sales
and distribution to retailers ends in August 2003. Further, the
company will implement a product recovery program in 2004 to
complete the phase out of the product.
Additionally,
as part of the phase out, for all lawn, garden, and turf uses,
the agreement ratchets down the manufacturing amounts. Specifically,
for 2002, there will be a 25 percent decrease in production;
and for 2003, there will be a 50 percent decrease in production.
Also, the
agreement begins the process to cancel around 20 different uses
on food crops.
Organophosphates
can affect the nervous system. The effects from diazinon vary
depending on the dose, but symptoms from overexposure can include
nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and general weakness.
Today's action also represents an important step for the environment.
Diazinon's use on turf poses a risk to birds, and it is one of
the most commonly found pesticides in air, rain, and drinking
and surface water.
It is legal
to purchase and use diazinon products according to label directions
and precautions. Consumers should take special care to always
read and follow the label directions and precautions. If consumers
choose to discontinue use, they should contact their state or
local hazardous waste disposal program or the local solid waste
collection service for information on proper disposal.
Additional
information can be found at: www.epa.gov/pesticides.
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