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Endosulfan

February 2009

Endosulfan is an active ingredient present in some pesticide formulations used on crops to control insects. Endosulfan has been registered for use in New Zealand since the 1960s. In December 2008, ERMA New Zealand withdrew all approvals for products containing endosulfan under the HSNO Act with effect from 16 January 2009. After that date, they can no longer be imported, sold, or used in New Zealand. The technical assessments undertaken in New Zealand, and in other countries where it is still registered (including Australia and the USA), have found that it is unlikely to have a health effect in humans at any likely level of intake via food. The use of endosulfan in New Zealand has decreased over the past decade. The review by ERMA New Zealand determined that it was no longer suitable for use in New Zealand for environmental and occupational health and safety reasons.

What is endosulfan?

Endosulfan is an organochlorine. However, it is unlike ‘classical’ organochlorines such as DDT because it is nowhere near as persistent in the environment, hence its continuing registration in many countries. It was developed in the early 1950s and was first put to use by American farmers in 1954. There is an internationally set and accepted maximum residue level for endosulfan in a number of foods.

New Zealand use of endosulfan was declining

The overall use of endosulfan in New Zealand decreased over the past 10 years. It was not routinely used on crops but was used mainly as a back-stop when other pest control options did not work. Endosulfan was the only effective control against one or two crop pests found here. Most use occurred in outdoor vegetable production, largely potatoes. Citrus and berry fruit crops were the other main uses and it was also used ‘off label’ on turf for controlling earthworms.

There were two main reasons for the overall decline in endosulfan usage. First, many export markets dictated chemical requirements, for example, onions destined for the European Union markets could not be treated with the chemical due to their import requirements. Second, new generation alternative chemicals and new management systems (such as integrated pest management or IPM) decreased demand for endosulfan.

Internationally some countries still use endosulfan and others have not registered it

Some agricultural compounds used in New Zealand may not be used in other countries. This is rarely because they are ‘banned’ due to concerns about their safety in food, but rather that the crops they are used on might not be grown in that country or the pest they are effective against may not be present.

Endosulfan is still registered for certain uses in the United States, South America, Africa, most of Asia (not Thailand) and Australia. Its use is prohibited in the EU.

Health effects from exposure to endosulfan

Endosulfan has shown no potential to accumulate over time in animals. It is more water soluble than other organochlorines, such as DDT, and is less persistent in the body because it metabolises quickly. Kidneys rather than fat are where any residues might concentrate. The chemical is extremely unlikely to have an effect in humans at any level of intake that is likely occur through food residues.

Endosulfan has been specifically tested for carcinogenic potential and the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Environment Programme and International Labour Organisation categorically state that endosulfan does not show any such potential. This is also the position of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, US Environmental Protection Agency and California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

Tests have also been carried out to establish whether the chemical is an endocrine disrupter. WHO reports that it shows no such potential.

Related links

Agricultural compound residues in food

Pesticide claims wrong says Food Safety Authority, 3 March 2006