The Chemical Review Committee (CRC) devoted Thursday to working in contact groups on terbufos, iprodione, thiodicarb, and methidathion. CRC Chair Noluzuko Gwayi announced that the Committee would not address the three other chemicals on the agenda (chlorvfenvinphos, carbaryl, and methyl parathion), due to the limited time available and the amount of work remaining on the four chemicals already under consideration.
In the contact group on terbufos, Co-Chair Martin Lacroix, Canada, informed the group that some members had worked overnight to draft text addressing some of the issues raised during the previous day’s deliberations. This text formed the basis of discussions, and with some amendments, enabled the group to reach agreement on the draft rationale for the Committee’s conclusion on Mozambique’s notification. This text will be forwarded to the full committee for consideration on Friday.
The contact group on iprodione focused on whether Mozambique’s final regulatory action was based on a risk evaluation. When the group could not reach consensus on whether Mozambique’s survey of agricultural workers constituted a risk evaluation, it considered other issues, including: registration and import of the chemical into Mozambique; the use of iprodione on vegetables; and the availability of bridging information based on US requirements for personal protective equipment. Following extensive discussion, members began drafting a rationale for further consideration by the Committee.
With time running short, contact groups on methidathion and thiodicarb convened in parallel. Participants in the methidathion group considered the notifications of final regulatory action from Mozambique and Uruguay and drafted a rationale for a conclusion on the notification from Mozambique. Questions remained about the notification from Uruguay, particularly with regard to whether Environmental Impact Quotients are appropriate risk evaluation tools.
The contact group on thiodicarb also discussed whether Mozambique’s notification included a valid risk evaluation, and they turned to the work completed earlier on terbufos as a model. However, some participants felt strongly that the case for thiodicarb is less clear cut than that of terbufos. At the end of the session, participants agreed to bracket text in the draft rationale and planned to resume discussions on Friday.
With much work yet to be completed, the CRC will reconvene in plenary on Friday for the final day of its meeting.
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Selected Images
Peter Korytár, Malta, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Methidathion
Leonarda Christina Van Leeuwen, the Netherlands
Agnieszka Jankowska, Poland, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Terbufos
