Chlorpyrifos: assessment identifies human health effects

The pesticide Substance used to kill or control pests, including disease-carrying organisms and undesirable insects, animals and plants chlorpyrifos does not meet the criteria required by legislation for the renewal of its approval in the European Union, EFSA has said in a statement.

The approval period for chlorpyrifos expires in January 2020, and the manufacturers’ application for renewal is currently being evaluated under the EU’s peer review system for approval of pesticides.

Although the peer review is not yet fully completed, the European Commission asked EFSA to provide a statement on the available results of the human health assessment. EFSA has identified concerns about possible genotoxic effects as well as neurological effects during development, supported by epidemiological data indicating effects in children.

This means that no safe exposure Concentration or amount of a particular substance that is taken in by an individual, population or ecosystem in a specific frequency over a certain amount of time level ­– or toxicological reference value A value defining the level of a particular substance to which people can safely be exposed over a specified period; for example, the acceptable daily intake (ADI) – can be set for the substance.

• Statement on the available outcomes of the human health assessment in the context of the pesticides peer review of the active substance chlorpyrifos
• Statement on the available outcomes of the human health assessment in the context of the pesticides peer review of the active substance chlorpyrifos-methyl