Ethylene dibromide

Ethylene dibromide (EDB) is a heavy, colourless liquid with a mild, sweet odour and readily volatilises to form toxic vapour concentrations in air. It was principally used in Australia as an agricultural soil fumigant. Other names for EDB include 1,2-dibromoethane, ethylene bromide, and glycol dibromide.

There are no products containing EDB registered for use in Australia.

EDB has been listed as a chemical subject to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (the Rotterdam Convention). Australia became a party to the convention on 18 August 2004.

Prior Informed Consent (PIC) is a procedure that promotes a shared responsibility between exporting and importing countries in protecting human health and the environment from the potentially harmful effects of certain hazardous chemicals that are being traded internationally. It allows countries to make informed decisions about the chemicals they import and contributes to the processes of managing chemical risk.

EDB review

Status: review completed

The APVMA (formerly the NRA) reviewed the use of EDB because of concerns over possible health risks to the public and workers from short and long-term exposure.

In 1998 the APVMA released the EDB Review Final Report. In the report the APVMA cancelled the registration of all products containing EDB, all label approvals and the active constituent. 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
EDB Review Final Report	Mar 1998

Product search

Search the PUBCRIS database for registered products that contain ethylene dibromide.

APVMA ethylene dibromide archive

Title	Date
Gazette Notice*	Apr 1998
Gazette Notice*	Jan 1998
Gazette Notice*	Oct 1997
Gazette Notice*	Jul 1997

* Contact the APVMA for copies of this document.