United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Prevention, Pesticides
and Toxic Substances
(7508C)
EPA738-F-00-16
October 2000
SERA Propetamphos Facts
EPA has assessed the risks of propetamphos and reached an Interim Reregistration Eligibility
Decision (IRED) for this organophosphate (OP) pesticide. Provided that the risk mitigation measures
outlined in this document are adopted, propetamphos fits into its own "risk cup"; that is, its aggregate
risks are within acceptable levels. Propetamphos is also eligible for reregistration, pending a full
reassessment of the cumulative risk from all OPs.
Propetamphos is an insecticide used indoors
for the control of insects, such as ants, cockroaches,
fleas and termites. Propetamphos residues in food
and drinking water do not pose risk concerns.
Additionally, risks are low to workers who mix, load,
and apply propetamphos at commercial and
residential use sites. There are also no environmental
risk concerns. However, there are post-application
risk concerns for adults, and especially children
entering areas treated with propetamphos. With
mitigation canceling all residential use, propetamphos
fits into its own "risk cup". With other mitigation
measures, propetamphos' worker risks also will be
below levels of concern for reregistration.
EPA is reviewing the OP pesticides to
determine whether they meet current health and safety
standards. OPs need decisions about their eligibility
for reregistration under FIFRA. Additional OPs with
residues in food, drinking water, and other non-
occupational exposures also must be reassessed to
make sure they meet the new Food Quality
Protection Act (FQPA) safety standard.
EPA's next step under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) safely standard 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 propetamphos cannot be considered
final until this cumulative assessment is complete. Further risk mitigation may be necessary at that time.
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, www.epa.gov/pesticides/op .)
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 interim risk management decisions for
individual OP pesticides, and will make final
decisions through a cumulative OP assessment.
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The propetamphos IRED 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 extensively with affected parties to reach
the decisions presented in this IRED document, which concludes the OP pilot process for
propetamphos.
Uses
• Propetamphos is an OP insecticide used indoors for the control of insects, primarily ants,
cockroaches, fleas, and termites. Propetamphos may be applied at indoor residential, medical,
commercial, and industrial buildings and equipment, such as homes, apartments, stores, schools,
hospitals, offices and factories. It may also be used in food service establishments where there
is no contact with food, and where no processing, packing, or warehousing of food occurs.
Total annual usage is low, and estimated at 90,000 pounds active ingredient. The typical rate of
dilution varies from 0.5% to 1.0% active ingredient solution. Propetamphos is applied as a
water dilution through a compressed air sprayer, often with a low pressure hand wand.
Health Effects
Propetamphos 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
Dietary exposures from food are not of concern for the entire U.S. population, including infants
and children, provided food is removed or covered prior to an area being treated. Because
propetamphos is only used indoors, exposure from drinking water sources is not expected.
Risks are low, but still of concern for workers who mix, load, and apply propetamphos at
commercial and residential use sites.
Risks are of concern for adults, and especially children, from combined dermal, inhalation, and
(for children only) oral routes of post-application exposure from re-entering areas treated with
propetamphos.
Because propetamphos is used indoors, exposure to the environment is not expected, and
therefore, ecological risks are not of concern to the Agency.
In order to support an IRED for propetamphos, the following risk mitigation measures are
necessary:
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To mitigate dietary (food) risks:
• for use in food service establishments, all food must be either covered or removed prior
to the area being treated.
To mitigate worker risks:
• reduce the maximum rate of dilution from 1.0% to 0.5% active ingredient solution;
• applicators must wear personal protective equipment consisting of a long-sleeve shirt,
long pants, shoes and socks, and chemical-resistant gloves; and
only protected handlers may be in the area during applications.
To mitigate non-occupational risks to persons re-entering treated areas (post-application risks):
cancel all residential uses;
prohibit use in structures children and the elderly occupy, such as or including homes,
schools, day-cares, hospitals, nursing homes (except for areas of food service when
food is covered or removed prior to treatment);
cancel all spot, broadcast, and termiticide treatment; and
restrict the method of application to crevice treatment only, as defined in OPPTS
860.1460 Food Handling.
Next Steps
Numerous opportunities for public comment were offered as this decision was being
developed. The Propetamphos IRED, therefore, is issued in final (see www.epa.gov/REDs/ or
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.
To effect risk mitigation as quickly as possible, time frames for making the changes described
in the Propetamphos IRED are shorter than those in a usual RED. All labels need to be
amended to include the above mitigation and submitted to the Agency within 90 days after
issuance of this IRED.
For propetamphos, tolerances for residues in food commodities will remain in effect and
unchanged until a full reassessment of the cumulative risk assessment for all OP pesticides is
completed. Upon completion of the cumulative risk assessment, EPA will issue its final
tolerance reassessment decision for propetamphos and may request further risk mitigation
measures. For all OPs, raising and/or establishing tolerances will be considered once a
cumulative assessment is completed.
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