Advisory Committee on Pesticides Annual Report 2001

<strong>Advisory</strong> <strong>Committee</strong> on Pesticides Annual Report 2001
The <strong>Committee</strong> agreed to advise Ministers that approvals for use on the
remaining crops should be allowed to continue, subject to: a requirement for
additional personal protective equipment for use during knapsack spraying;
the provision of further data on physical/chemical properties, methods of
analysis, mammalian toxicology, operator exposure and consumer exposure;
and the provision of protocols for all ongoing and planned residue trials
within three months.
Pirimiphos-methyl
Pirimiphos-methyl is an organophosphorus insecticide formulated in a range
of products approved for use as a structural spray treatment, an admixture to
stored cereal grains, and as a smoke generator for glasshouse and grain store
use. There is one smoke generator product approved for amateur use. In
January 2001, the ACP considered the human health review of this active
substance as part of a comprehensive review of anticholinesterase compounds.
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The <strong>Committee</strong> had previously considered a review of pirimiphos methyl in
1997, at which time it was concluded that approvals could continue subject to
additional operator and environmental protection requirements, and further
data requirements. The human health anticholinesterase review incorporated
the new data required following the previous review.
The <strong>Committee</strong> agreed that an ADI value should be set at 0.03 mg/kg bw/day
based on the NOAEL for inhibition of erythrocyte cholinesterase activity in two
repeat-dose human volunteer studies, and applying an assessment factor of 10.
This end point was also used as the basis for setting a systemic AOEL of 0.03
mg/kg bw/day. In addition, the <strong>Committee</strong> agreed an ARfD of 0.15 mg/kg
bw/day based on the NOAEL for minimal reductions in erythrocyte and brain
acetylcholinesterase activity in an acute neurotoxicity study in rats, with an
assessment factor of 100.
The <strong>Committee</strong> considered that the estimates of exposure to operators,
workers and bystanders were acceptable, subject to additional operator
protection requirements, and the provision of confirmatory data.
On the basis of the residue data provided, the <strong>Committee</strong> considered that
estimates of consumer exposure were acceptable, although confirmatory data
were required.
The <strong>Committee</strong> agreed to advise Ministers that approvals should be allowed
to continue subject to a restriction on the maximum concentration of one
impurity in the technical specification, the imposition of additional operator