China looks set to impose a blanket ban on the production of the highly toxic pesticide sulfluramid. The ban will also be extended to include phorate, aldicarb and isocarbophos after a 3-year destocking period.
On 23 Aug 2018, China MoARA consulted on proposed bans of 4 highly toxic insecticides: phorate, aldicarb, isocarbophos and sulfluramid.
Phorate, aldicarb, isocarbophos are highly toxic pesticides that pose direct risks to human and animal health, food safety, as well as the environment, while sulfluramid is metabolized into Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which a persistent organic pollutant(POP) listed in the Stockholm Convention. The latest National Committee on Pesticide Registration has reviewed risk assessment findings and proposed the following mitigation measures:
MoARA will no longer accept new pesticide registration and production license applications of single and multiple compound formulations of phorate, aldicarb and isocarbophos；
All existing registration for single and multiple compounded formulations of phorate, aldicarb and isocarbophos shall be revoked while the TC registrations will be modified into export only purpose；
Domestic sale and use of phorate, aldicarb and isocarbophos will be prohibited starting on the 1st of Oct 2020；
All production license of phorate, aldicarb and isocarbophos will be revoked and domestic production will be terminated as of 1 Oct 2023.
All pesticide registration and production license of sulfluramid products will be immediately revoked and domestic sale and use will be prohibited starting on 26th of March 2019
The Ministry will collect opinions until 15 Sep 2018.
