Chlorpyrifos: assessment identifies human health effects

The pesticide 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 level ­– or toxicological reference value – 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