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Pesticide News Story: Aldicarb Risk Management Suggestions Invited
For Release: November 17, 2006
As part of an ongoing effort to reassess older pesticides and make decisions about their future use, EPA is releasing for public comment revised human health and ecological risk assessments for the N-methyl carbamate pesticide aldicarb. Aldicarb poses certain drinking water and ecological risks, but also provides substantial benefits to agriculture. The Agency is encouraging the public to submit information and suggestions for managing the risks of aldicarb, and to comment on initial impacts or benefits assessments for a number of aldicarb uses. After completing this risk management decision for aldicarb, EPA will complete a cumulative risk assessment for the N-methyl carbamate pesticides, including aldicarb. Additional risk mitigation for dietary concerns may be necessary at that time.
A systemic insecticide, acaricide and nematicide, aldicarb is registered for use on agricultural crops including citrus, cotton, dry beans, peanuts, pecans, potatoes, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets, sugarcane, and sweet potatoes, and on seed alfalfa in California. Aldicarb also may be applied to tobacco, field grown ornamentals in California, and coffee grown in Puerto Rico. Aldicarb is classified as a Restricted Use Pesticide. No aldicarb products are intended for use in residential settings.
While aldicarb provides significant benefits to crop growers, it also presents certain risks of concern. Aggregate food and water dietary risks to infants less than one year of age are associated with aldicarb residues leaching to rural drinking water wells in peanut and cotton growing regions of the southern coastal plain (Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina). Ecological risks are posed to birds, mammals, fish, and aquatic invertebrates. The Agency is requesting information on effective and practical measures to mitigate these risks. For additional information, see the Note to Reader, Request for Additional Information and Risk Management Suggestions for the Reregistration of Aldicarb Phase 5 Public Comment Period in the aldicarb docket.
EPA’s November 15, 2006, Federal Register notice is available on the Agency’s Web site at and on the aldicarb reregistration Web page, Comments must be received by the Agency by January 16, 2007. EPA’s aldicarb risk assessments and related information are available at Regulations.gov in Docket Number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0163. Information on the Agency’s N-methyl carbamate cumulative risk assessment is available on the Web site.