This consultation closed on 25 March 2026
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is proposing a new standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent in the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (Chemical Products) Standard 2025 (Chemical Products Standard). The draft Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (Chemical Products) Amendment (Fenitrothion) Standard 2026, that sets out the proposed standard, is available on apvma.gov.au.
The APVMA may make standards for chemical products by legislative instrument under section 6E of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (Agvet Code) scheduled to the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 (Agvet Code Act).
Before making standards for chemical products, the APVMA must undertake the consultation and notice requirements set out in regulation 8AF of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Regulations 1995 (Regulations).
Statement as to why the APVMA determines that the standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion is necessary
In undertaking its recent reconsideration of fenitrothion, the APVMA identified a risk to safety of users, animals, the environment and trade from products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent. To manage this risk, the APVMA imposed several new controls including deciding to impose a standard to limit impurities in chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent. Further information on the APVMA’s final regulatory decision on fenitrothion can be found in the APVMA Gazette No 17, Tuesday 19 August 2025.
The proposed standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent specifies the proposed acceptable levels (minimum, maximum or range as appropriate) for concentrations of fenitrothion active constituents and toxicologically significant impurities consistent with the scientific assessments conducted as part of the chemical review of fenitrothion. If the toxic impurities in chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent exceed prescribed limits, they will pose an unacceptable risk to safety, particularly the safety of people using these products.
Due to the effect of the existing legislation, if the standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent is exceeded, a person may commit an offence or be liable to pay a civil penalty if the person then supplies the product, or causes or permits such a product to be supplied (see paragraph 87(2)(a) of the Agvet Code and subregulation 42(3) of the Regulations).
Accordingly, the standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent will help ensure that continued use of these products are safe for people, plants, animals and the environment by setting limits for toxic impurities.
In considering whether it is necessary to make a standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent, the APVMA has had regard to the FAO/WHO specification for fenitrothion as it related to relevant fenitrothion product formulation types, as required by regulation 8AF(a) of the Regulations. The proposed standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent is consistent with the FAO/WHO specification for fenitrothion. The consistency is supported by the toxicological and stability data assessments conducted for the reconsideration of fenitrothion, as described in the Fenitrothion Final Review Technical Report.
Further information on the proposed standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent can be obtained from the contact details given below.
A notice about the proposed standard for chemical products containing fenitrothion as an active constituent was published in the APVMA Gazette No 4, Tuesday 24 February 2026.
Submissions received
The APVMA sought comment from interested stakeholders, as required by Regulation 8AF, on the draft Fenitrothion Products Standard in a consultation that closed 25 March 2026.
No submissions were received in response.
Consultation outcomes
Having completed the consultation requirements under regulation 8AF of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (Chemical Products) Amendment (Fenitrothion) Standard 2026, the standard establishes prescribed limits for fenitrothion and toxicologically significant impurities in relevant chemical products.
Gazette notice
A notice of the making of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (Chemical Products) Amendment (Fenitrothion) Standard 2026 was published in the APVMA Gazette. Further information, including the commencement of the instrument, is available in the Gazette notice.
How to obtain more information
More information regarding this standard can be found on the APVMA website. Interested parties can also access the associated explanatory statement via the Federal Register of Legislation.
Further enquiries should be directed to:
Director Chemistry and Manufacture
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
GPO Box 574
Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: +61 2 6770 2392
Email: enquiries@apvma.gov.au