Bifenthrin

500 mL pack sizes (80 g/L or 100 g/L)

Bifenthrin is an agricultural insecticide used for the control of borers and termites in timber, insect pests in agricultural crops (bananas, apples, pears, ornamentals) and turf, as well as for general pest control (spiders, ants, fleas, flies, mosquitos). Bifenthrin is contained in over 100 registered products although the action taken by the APVMA in early 2008 relates only to those products containing bifenthrin at 80 g/L or 100 g/L where a 500 mL pack size had been approved (7 products).

Status: completed (March 2008)

Background

The APVMA was concerned with bifenthrin products, specifically those with a product concentration of 80 g/L or 100 g/L in a 500 mL pack size. The concerns were that:

such small pack sizes could find their way into the home garden market where they are available to use by householders (likely to find this pack size convenient should they wish to do their own pest control);
the toxicity of these products does not conform with the criteria outlined in MORAG for pesticides intended for domestic use (Section 3.6 of Part 3 toxicology) - the oral toxicities of these 500 mL products are generally around 500 mg/kg bw, well below the acceptable level of 1500 mg/kg bw for home garden products;
the use of such products would require the use of extensive personal protective equipment not readily available to householders; and
some products contained a label claim for ‘post construction barrier treatments for the protection of existing buildings,’ with a 500 mL pack insufficient to treat and protect a typically-sized building.

Therefore the possible use of products containing 80 g/L and 100 g/L bifenthrin in 500 mL pack sizes by householders raises concerns relating both to their safety and effectiveness. Consequently, it was apparent that the 500 mL packs of 80 g/L and 100 g/L bifenthrin products do not comply with s.14(3)(e)(ii) of the Agvet Codes.

The APVMA advised registrants that it could no longer be satisfied that the continued use of bifenthrin products (80 g/L or 100 g/L), in a 500 mL pack size, would not be an undue hazard to the safety of users. Registrants have voluntarily varied their product registration details removing these pack sizes from their product range.

Given the above concerns, the APVMA will not allow future registration of products at this concentration or pack size.

Affected products (containing 80g/L or 100g/L bifenthrin with 500 mL pack sizes):

Talstar 80 SC Insecticide/Miticide (45703)
Scotts Procide 80SC Insecticide/Miticide (55020)
Mabons M.A.S.T.-Killa Termiticide and Insecticide (56991)
Rentokil Termite and Spider Treatment (58210)
Cropro Zeus Termiticide and Insecticide (58368)
Superway Bifenthrin Termite and Pest Controller (58803)
Chemag Bifen 80SC Insecticide/Miticide (59592)

For more information please contact the Chemical Review Program on (02) 6210 4749 or by email to chemrev@apvma.gov.au

APVMA Bifenthrin archive

Title	Date

Product search

Search the PUBCRIS database for registered products that contain bifenthrin.