Fenamiphos Fact Sheet – June 2008 Update

EPA 738-F-08- 005

June 2008

EPA assessed the risks of fenamiphos and completed an Interim
Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED) document for this
organophosphate (OP) pesticide in 2002. The IRED identified risk
mitigation measures needed to reduce risk, as well as data needed to
better characterize risks. The sole registrant, Bayer Corporation,
requested voluntary cancellation and phase-out of all existing
fenamiphos registrations rather than committing to develop additional
data.  EPA approved this request. 

Used on a variety of vegetables and fruits, fenamiphos residues in food
do not pose risk concerns.  However, exposure to drinking water sources
from shallow water tables (less than 50 feet deep) and extremely
vulnerable soils do pose risk concerns.  Extremely vulnerable soils are
defined as, "hydrologic soil group A soils that are excessively drained
and predominantly sand or loamy sand, such as soils in the suborder
psamments."  These classifications and soil taxonomy refer to USDA
definitions.  Therefore, all uses of fenamiphos in areas with extremely
vulnerable soils and shallow water tables were phased out by May 31,
2005. 

Fenamiphos is not used in residential settings. It is, however, used on
turf including golf course turf, which could lead to golfer exposure
from residues on treated courses. Nevertheless, the Agency believes that
the watering-in of fenamiphos adequately protects golfers.
Implementation of risk mitigation during the phase out, negotiated
between the registrant and the Agency, is believed to decrease the risks
associated with fenamiphos.

EPA has considered available information on the cumulative risk of the
OP pesticides, which share a common mechanism of toxicity, as required
by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA).  The tolerance reassessment
decision for fenamiphos has been proposed in a Federal Register notice
dated February 6, 2008 (FRL-8345-2).  This notice proposes that all
domestic tolerances are to be revoked by December 31, 2009.  The notice
also proposes that several commodities treated with fenamiphos will
continue to have import tolerances:  banana; fruit, citrus, group 10;
garlic; grape; and pineapple.

The fenamiphos 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 extensively with affected parties
to reach the decisions presented in the IRED document. The agreement on
the voluntary cancellation, based on the registrant's decision not to
develop data that were an essential part of the risk mitigation
proposal, concludes the Agency’s reregistration review of fenamiphos. 

Uses

A nematicide and an insecticide, fenamiphos has been used primarily to
control nematodes and thrips on various agricultural crops (i.e.,
citrus, grapes, peanuts, pineapples, tobacco, etc.) and non-agricultural
(i.e., turf and ornamentals) sites.  Additionally, all uses have been
soil incorporated, except for the pineapple use. There are no
residential uses for fenamiphos. 

Annual domestic use was low-- approximately 780,000 pounds of active
ingredient per year. 

Fenamiphos is a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) due to high acute
toxicity and toxicity to wildlife. 

Health Effects

Fenamiphos 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 (acute and chronic) exposures from eating commodities treated
with fenamiphos are below the Agency's level of concern for the entire
U.S. population, including infants and children. 

Dietary (drinking water) exposures are generally not of concern for
surface and ground water sources in soils that are not extremely
vulnerable. However, exposure to shallow ground water sources of
drinking water associated with soils that are extremely vulnerable
exceed the Agency's level of concern. 

EPA has risk concerns for workers who mix, load, and/or apply fenamiphos
to agricultural sites and golf courses. 

Acute and chronic risks exceed the Agency's level of concern for
terrestrial, aquatic, and endangered species. 

Risk Mitigation

The registrant requested voluntary cancellation of existing fenamiphos
product registrations with a 5-year phase out.  A Use Deletion and
Product Cancellation Order (FRL-7332-5) (68 FR 68901) for fenamiphos was
published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2003, announcing that
EPA granted the registrant’s request. 

The registrant agreed to cancel use, and formulation for use, of all of
its existing fenamiphos registrations in areas with extremely vulnerable
soils and shallow water tables effective May 31, 2005. 

The registrant agreed to produce no more than 500,000 pounds of
fenamiphos manufacturing use products for use in the United States
during the first year of the phase out which ended May 31, 2003. In each
subsequent year of the 5-year phase out, production was reduced by 20%
of the previous year's production. 

All fenamiphos product registrations were cancelled and sale and
distribution of manufacturing and end-use products by the registrant
were prohibited effective May 31, 2007. 

Sale and distribution of all existing stocks by persons other than the
registrant were to be prohibited effective May 31, 2008.  However, as
announced in an Amendment to Use Deletion and Product Cancellation Order
published in the Federal Register on June 11, 2008 (FRL-8368-2), persons
other than the registrant are allowed to continue to sell and distribute
two fenamiphos products, Nemacur 10% Turf and Ornamental Nematicide (EPA
Reg. No. 432-1291) and Nemacur 3 Emulsifiable Systemic
Insecticide-Nematicide (EPA Reg. No. 264-731) until November 30, 2008.

Revised labels for all fenamiphos products were submitted to the Agency
in accordance with the registrant's request for an amendment of all of
its existing registrations. 

Use of existing stocks in the channels of trade may continue until
depleted, except where prohibited by the revised labels. 

For More Information

Numerous opportunities for public comment were offered as this decision
was being developed. The fenamiphos IRED document was issued in final
(see   HYPERLINK
"http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm" 
www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm ), without a formal
public comment period. However, the docket remains open, and any
comments submitted in the future will be placed in this public docket. 

A copy of the Interim RED and all supporting documents are available on
the Agency's website at   HYPERLINK
"http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm" 
www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm . 

