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APVMA CCC E-Bulletin Issue 6 - 24 August 2005
This e-bulletin is produced by the APVMA's Community Consultative Committee
Welcome to the APVMA Community E-bulletin produced by the APVMA Community Consultative Committee (CCC). The CCC is made up of nine individuals who represent a diverse range of community interests including public health, consumers and environmental groups. The CCC is the community's link to the APVMA.
This newsletter is produced to provide members of the community with regular updates on the committee’s work. It also gives details of issues on which the APVMA is seeking community input or comment.
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Contents
1. CCC work plan
2. Multiple chemical sensitivity
3. Adverse Experience Reporting Program
4. Other
issues
5. New members and committee
business
A new 12 month work plan for the CCC has been agreed. Focus will be on:
- the minor use permit system and ways it can foster the greater use of reduced risk chemicals
- effective promotion of the AERPAg program
- transition to safer, more effective and durable chemical containers and safer and more effective disposal/recycling mechanisms
Click here to view the CCC work plan
2. Multiple chemical sensitivity
Following communication from the public the CCC decided to better inform itself about MCS. It invited Professor Nick Buckley, who is a medical expert on the AERPAg advisory committee, and the Office of Chemical Safety (OCS) to address it on the topic.
Professor Buckley is an expert in chemical injury and strongly agrees that exposure to pesticides can and does cause acute chronic health problems. He has extensive experience in third world countries. Professor Buckley said the vast majorioty of the medical profession and the toxicological community do not regard MCS as being a toxicological problem, rather it is a complex social and psychological phenomenon driven by a range of concerns about chemicals.
Professor Buckley sighted two reports as part of his presentation. Report 1. Report 2.
OCS talked about its role in the data assessment for registration of new products and review of existing products. The presentation also discussed how OCS considers the issue of multiple chemical sensitivity and/or vulnerable groups in the community such as children in that assessment.
Click here for the OCS presentation.
3. Adverse experience reporting program
The committee has ongoing concerns about the adequacy of the AERP promotional campaign, largely driven by the low numbers of reports coming through, low on the ground awareness of the program and the limited scope of organisations contacted about the program, in particular health professionals other than GPs.
The committee has suggested the PR approach needed a rethink and urged the APVMA to make this a priority for the new Public Affairs Manager.
The committee is particularly interested in feedback about the AERP and how promotional activities could be improved.
Tell us what you think.
4.
Other issues
The committee discussed a number of other issues including
- Launch of CCC member Jo Immig's report on the impact of indoor air pollution on children's health - Working Together to Clear the Air: How the Chemical Cocktail Inside our Homes is Poisoning Our Children
- The FSANZ proposal for an MRL for 2,4D in grapes and concerns that action needs to be taken to address 2,4D spray drift issues
- OCS review of a paper by Mueling et al about dermal absorption of chlorpyrifos. Conclusion is that chlorpyrifos was poorly absorbed through the skin and none of the subjects tested exhibited any signs of dermal irritation at the application site or had any symptoms of systemic toxicity.
- OCS review of a study published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences on Neurologic Symptoms in Licensed Private Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.
5. New members and committee business
New members
The APVMA has recently appointed three new members to the committee.
Peter Cone is technical advisor to Cotton Australia Limited and represents the farming community generally. He is an experienced committee member and has had a long engagement with community, environmental and producer groups as well as government and the agricultural service industries.
Don Sutherland has considerable expertise in the area of farm chemical training, farm worker health and safety and issues, particularly those affecting WA pastoralists.
Joe Elbustani grows greenhouse vegetables in the Sydney region. Has links to field vegetable, stone fruit and flower growers as well as NESB grower groups.
Next meeting
The next meeting of the CCC is Thursday 25 August. Items for discussion include:
- the minor use permit system
- chemical container management
- DAFFs approach to community consultation
- the effectiveness of the AERPs promotional activities