United States Environmental Protection Agency Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (7508C) EPA 738-F-00-002 June 2000 SERA Cadusafos Facts EPA has assessed the dietary risk of cadusafos and prepared a "Report on FQPA Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Interim Risk Management Decision" for this organophosphate (OP) pesticide. Cadusafos fits into its own "risk cup"-- its individual risks are within acceptable levels. Cadusafos has no U.S. registrations and only one import tolerance on bananas. Cadusafos-treated bananas do not pose risk concerns, and no risk mitigation is necessary at this time. EPA's next step under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) is to complete a cumulative risk assessment and risk management decision encompassing all the OP pesticides, which share a common mechanism of toxicity. The interim decision on cadusafos cannot be considered final until this cumulative assessment is complete. Further risk mitigation may be required at that time. EPA is reviewing the OP pesticides to determine whether they meet current health and safety standards. Older OPs need decisions about their eligibility for reregistration under FIFRA. OPs with residue limits in food (tolerances) and other non-occupational exposures also must be reassessed to make sure they meet the new FQPA safety standard. The cadusafos interim decision was made through the OP pilot public participation process, which increases transparency and maximizes stakeholder involvement in EPA's development of risk assessments and risk management decisions. EPA worked with affected parties, such as the The OP Pilot Public Participation Process The organophosphates are a group of related pesticides that affect the functioning of the nervous system. They are among EPA's highest priority for review under the Food Quality Protection Act. EPA is encouraging the public to participate in the review of the OP pesticides. Through a six-phased pilot public participation process, the Agency is releasing for review and comment its preliminary and revised scientific risk assessments for individual OPs. (Please contact the OP Docket, telephone 703-305-5805, or see EPA's web site, .) EPA is exchanging information with stakeholders and the public about the OPs, their uses, and risks through Technical Briefings, stakeholder meetings, and other fora. USDA is coordinating input from growers and other OP pesticide users. Based on current information from interested stakeholders and the public, EPA is making risk management decisions for individual OP pesticides, and will make final decisions through a cumulative OP assessment. ------- International Banana Association, to reach the decisions presented in this interim decision document, which concludes the OP pilot process for cadusafos. Uses Cadusafos is a nematicide used to control nematodes and soil insects on bananas in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Columbia, and Mexico. It is not registered for use in the U.S. A single import tolerance is established, for residues of cadusafos in or on imported bananas. About 5 to 7 % of bananas imported into the U.S. annually have been treated with cadusafos. Health Effects Cadusafos can cause cholinesterase inhibition in humans; that is, it can overstimulate the nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, and at very high exposures (e.g., accidents or major spills), respiratory paralysis and death. Risks Potential acute and chronic dietary exposures from eating bananas treated with cadusafos are below the level of concern for the entire U.S. population, including infants and children. Risk Mitigation Dietary risk from exposure to cadusafos does not exceed EPA's level of concern. Therefore, no mitigation is necessary and no further actions are warranted at this time. Next Steps Numerous opportunities for public comment were offered as this decision was being developed. The cadusafos interim decision document therefore is issued in final (see www.epa.gov/pesticides/op ), without a formal public comment period. The docket remains open, however, and any comments submitted in the future will be placed in this public docket. When the cumulative risk assessment for all organophosphate pesticides is completed, EPA will issue its final tolerance reassessment decision for cadusafos and may make further FQPA- related determinations or require risk mitigation. ------- |