UK malathion review reveals data gaps

Malathion, a non-systemic OP insecticide, has been reviewed by the Ministry of Agriculture. It is approved for use in agriculture and home gardens as a spray or dust on a wide range of edible and non-edible crops and flowers. Following the review, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, which advises government ministers has outlined the following data gaps which need filling:

• Levels of impurities (eg isomalathion) in products must be monitored to ensure that concentrations are within acceptable levels.

• In order to complete the operator risk assessment, operator exposure data are required for application by hand held equipment and for low volume rate application by orchard sprayers. Further information is also required on levels of worker contamination from use of malathion in mushrooms houses.

• In order to complete the consumer risk assessment, a full residues data package is required.

• Further data are required on the acute toxicity of approved formulations.

• In order to complete the assessment of risk to aquatic life, field measurements of malathion are required in water courses adjacent to treated areas. Information is also required to clarify the risks to birds and beneficial arthropods.

Evaluation on Malathion, August 1995, PSD, UK Ministry of Agriculture, 121pp.