Abstract
BackgroundRegulatory decisions to phase-out the availability and use of common organophosphate pesticides among the general public were announced in 2000 and continued through 2004. Based on revised risk assessments, chlorpyrifos and diazinon were determined to pose unacceptable risks. To determine the impact of these decisions, organophosphate (OP) exposure incidents reported to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) were analyzed for longitudinal trends.MethodsNon-occupational human exposure incidents reported to NPIC were grouped into pre- (1995–2000) and post-announcement periods (2001–2007). The number of total OP exposure incidents, as well as reports for chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion, were analyzed for significant differences between these two periods. The number of informational inquiries from the general public was analyzed over time as well.ResultsThe number of average annual OP-related exposure incidents reported to NPIC decreased significantly between the pre- and post-announcement periods (p < 0.001). A significant decrease in the number of chlorpyrifos and diazinon reports was observed over time (p < 0.001). No significant difference in the number of incident reports for malathion was observed (p = 0.4), which was not phased-out of residential use. Similar to exposure incidents, the number of informational inquiries received by NPIC declined over time following the phase-out announcement.ConclusionConsistent with other findings, the number of chlorpyrifos and diazinon exposure incidents reported to NPIC significantly decreased following public announcement and targeted regulatory action.
Highlights
Regulatory decisions to phase-out the availability and use of common organophosphate pesticides among the general public were announced in 2000 and continued through 2004
The risk assessments conducted for two common organophosphate insecticides, chlorpyrifos and diazinon, determined that inadequate protection existed for children based on current uses [2]
National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) received 3,385 OP-related incident reports involving a human exposure between 1995 and 2007 that met the criteria for inclusion in this study
Summary
Regulatory decisions to phase-out the availability and use of common organophosphate pesticides among the general public were announced in 2000 and continued through 2004. In 1996, the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was signed into law This landmark legislation had a significant impact on the regulation of pesticides, addressing specific elements of exposure assessment and risk characterization. Organophosphates (OPs) were the first class of insecticides to have revised risk assessments under FQPA, in part because of a common mode of action shared among active ingredients. OPs elicit their effect via the phosphorylation and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase enzymes [1]. This leads to a build up of excess acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential to normal nerve impulse transmission. The risk assessments conducted for two common organophosphate insecticides, chlorpyrifos and diazinon, determined that inadequate protection existed for children based on current uses [2]. The risk mitigation decisions to phase out residential uses of chlorpyrifos and diazinon occurred from 2000 to 2004 (figure 1)
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