US first nanopesticide registration challenged

A landmark decision by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2011 to grant conditional registration for a nanopesticide product is being challenged by environmental groups. The four-year limited registration for the pesticide, which contains nanosilver as a new active ingredient, marked the first nanopesticide registration authorized in the country.

In summer 2012, environmental groups filed a petition with the courts to review the decision. The market is keenly watching the outcome with interest amid intensifying activity in nanopesticide R&D. One observer commented that the EPA’s decision could be a major precedent for future nanopesticide approvals at the agency and elsewhere.

The nanosilver AGS-20 is made by Switzerland’s HeiQ. It is a silica composite that is claimed to deliver immediate antimicrobial action along with long-term durability. Textiles treated with the material have potential applications such as sportswear, tents and sailcloth. As a condition of registration, HeiQ is required to conduct several studies, including route-specific toxicity studies for occupational exposure situations and stability tests, during the four-year conditional period. The Natural Resources Defense Council, in its legal case, contends that there is a lack on the EPA’s part to evaluate the risks to infants, who are likely to chew on treated textiles.

Original Source: Chemistry and Industry (London), Oct 2012, 76 (10), 13 ( http://www.soci.org/)

Published in International Pest Control – January/February 2013 issue.

Category: Agriculture