Carbon disulfide

Carbon disulfide is a colourless, flammable and highly volatile liquid. In addition to being an industrial chemical, it is used as an insecticide and fungicide. Under certain circumstances, it can ignite spontaneously and/or explode.

Carbon disulfide is used in liquid concentrate bait poison for the large scale control of feral pigs. It is registered for this use in Queensland and the Northern Territory and authorised for use in New South Wales under permit.

Carbon disulfide was used as a grain fumigant in Australia prior to the commencement of this review. In December 2002 its registration as a grain fumigant was suspended because of concerns over the potential for the product to explode. Modified use instructions were issued by the APVMA (formerly the NRA) to allow the continued supply and use of the product while the review was being conducted.

Carbon disulfide review

Status: review completed

In July 2003, the APVMA began the review of carbon disulfide. Carbon disulfide was nominated for review because of concerns over toxicology, occupational health and safety, residues in food and the adequacy of instructions and warnings on product labels, particularly in relation to its explosive risks.

This review only considered the registration and associated labels of the two products containing carbon disulfide in Australia, Ajax Carbon Disulphide Grain Fumigant Ready-To-Use Liquid (a grain fumigant) and C.S.S.P. Phosphorus Pig Poison, (a pig poison).

In October 2005 the APVMA released the Carbon Disulfide Review Final Report. As the registration of the grain fumigant had been voluntarily cancelled before the finalisation of the review, the report findings focus solely on the use of carbon disulfide as a pig poison. The APVMA recommended varying the product labels of the pig poison to include stronger safety warnings and additional use instructions. Read a full history of the review...

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

Review report	Date
Carbon Disulfide Final Report ( PDF - 450KB)	Oct 2005

Product search

Search the PUBCRIS database for registered products that contain carbon disulfide.
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APVMA carbon disulfide archive

Title	Date
Gazette Notice: Reconsideration of Approvals and Registrations Related to Carbon Disulfide	Nov 2005
Preliminary Review Findings Report ( PDF - 451KB)	Apr 2005
Gazette Notice : Draft Outcomes of the Review of Registrations Related to Carbon Disulfide	Sep 2004
Draft Review Report ( PDF - 583KB)	Aug 2004
Review Scope Document ( PDF - 59KB)	Jul 2003
Gazette Notice : The Reconsideration of Approvals and RegistrationsRelating to Carbon Disulfide	Jul 2003
Updated Suspension Notice ( PDF - 177KB)	2003