The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is seeking public comments on the Draft Chlorpyrifos Special Registration Review Scoping Document for 60 days, ending Sept. 17.

Chlorpyrifos was introduced in 1965 by Dow Chemical Co. and is known by numerous trade names, including Dursban and Lorsban. In agriculture, chlorpyrifos is used on soybeans, sugarbeets, wheat, sunflower and other crops to manage pests. It can be applied by aerial and ground-based methods and used in insect bait stations and as a seed treatment.

As of March 2020, there were 48 pesticide products with chlorpyrifos as an active ingredient in Minnesota.

In February 2020, a major manufacturer of the chemical, Corteva Agriscience, announced it would stop producing chlorpyrifos-containing products by the end of 2020. The pesticide is also made by a few other chemical companies.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, chlorpyrifos is a source of contamination in multiple surface water bodies across the state. and can pose a substantial risk to human health and the environment. As of June this year, 13 surface water bodies in Minnesota were proposed for designation by MPCA or designated as impaired by the U.S. EPA due to chlorpyrifos water quality standard violations.

In 2012, the ag commissioner designated chlorpyrifos as a “surface water pesticide of concern.”

Chlorpyrifos exposure can lead to acetylcholinesterase inhibition and neurodevelopmental effects in humans. Accordingly, the ag commissioner directed the pesticide and fertilizer management division to conduct an in-depth special registration review of chlorpyrifos.

To begin the chlorpyrifos special registration review, MDA has drafted a scoping document in collaboration with the MPCA, Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota. The document defines the focus and topics of the review.

Following the 60-day public comment period, MDA will consider all appropriately submitted public comments and publish a revised scoping document. The revised scoping document will be used to guide the review.

Written comments may be submitted on or before Sept. 17 via email to Theresa Cira ([email protected]), MDA Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division.

You can read the full State Register announcement online. (Volume 45, Number 3).

For more information, contact Cira or Raj Mann ([email protected]), MDA Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division.

Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all of its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.