The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has released its regulatory decision on chlorpyrifos, cancelling all uses (eg Strikeout 500 plus many other products) in bananas.

What you need to know 

• A 12 month phase out period will allow product users to use the product already in the supply chain or on farm but does not allow manufacture or import. 
• The cancellation covers all uses in bananas. 
• APVMA cites worker health and safety concerns as well as environmental impacts as the reasons for the cancellation. 
• The cancellation affects a number of horticultural industries. 

Where you can get more information on the APVMA decision

• APVMA media release
• APVMA chemical review homepage 
• Technical report 
• Summary of assessment outcomes  
• ABGC chlorpyrifos page

 More resources

• What has industry done about this
• What you need to know about managing bunch pests without chlorpyrifos (page 14)  
• Spray gun bunch spray system – grower case study (DAF VIDEO)

What’s happened to get to this point

• Chlorpyrifos was nominated for reconsideration in 1994 due to possible risks associated with work health and safety, residues in food and to the environment.
• A number of reports and assessments were published in the years that followed resulting in adjustments to regulations. 
• APVMA cancelled all home garden and domestic uses of chlorpyrifos in 2019, as well as the registrations for products with only those uses on the label. 
• A number of countries have already withdrawn the use of chlorpyrifos for crops, including in the US, Canada and the European Union.  
• Public consultation for this APVMA decision was open until March 2024. You can read the ABGC’s submission here.
• This latest regulatory decision means most urban and agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos have been cancelled in Australia.