Australia

Deregistered organochlorine pesticides

The following organochlorine pesticides are no longer registered and it is an offence in NSW under the Pesticides Act to use them.

• Aldrin
• Chlordane
• Dieldrin
• DDT
• Endrin
• Heptachlor
• Hexachlorophene
• Isodrin
• Lindane
• 2,4,5-T
• Hexachlorobenzene

These pesticide wastes cannot be disposed of to landfill. Owners of any of these pesticide wastes should either store the wastes in a secure location on-site or arrange for them to be collected by a waste contractor for proper storage off-site. Contact the EPA, ph: 131 555, for advice on the transport and storage requirements for these wastes. http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/envirom/wastepest.htm

During the past two decades, the presence of organochlorine contaminants in the oceans of the world has caused considerable concern. The term 'organochlorines' is the name applied to a group of organic compounds which contain chlorine. Most of these compounds are synthetic, and during the last 50 years some 60 000 different organochlorines of industrial significance have been manufactured (ANZEC 1991). Organochlorines have achieved wide usage in Australia, especially as insecticides (e.g. DDT, lindane, chlordane, dieldrin, aldrin and heptachlor), fungicides (e.g. hexachlorobenzene and the chlorinated phenols such as pentachlorophenol), and herbicides (e.g. 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T). In addition to the pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used extensively as dielectric, or insulating fluids in large transformers and capacitors, and as additives in hydraulic fluids, surface coating materials, plastics and lubricants. Organochlorine compounds such as the dioxins and dibenzofurans have also been produced unwittingly as by-products of chemical or combustion processes.

Lindane ( -BHC) Banned in WA. Withdrawn in all states for use in control of insect pests in stored seeds. Used to control white grubs & symphylids in pineapples (Qld), ectoparasites on food (all states except NSW, Tas. and WA), and head lice on humans (except in Vic. and WA).

Work to date indicates that although organochlorine pesticides can be found in Australia's marine organisms, concentrations are relatively low, except where discharges arise from urbanised areas or as a result of run-off from intensively-farmed rural areas. Thus, Olafson (1978) and Smillie and Waid (1984) were able to report low concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (DDT, DDE and lindane) in corals, fish and molluscs obtained from the Great Barrier Reef. However, studies undertaken in Moreton Bay, which receives discharge from the Brisbane River, indicate considerably higher concentrations of organochlorines, including DDT and its metabolites (ANZEC 1991).

In South Australia, HCB, lindane, dieldrin and DDTs were measured in 79 fish samples during the 1970s (ANZEC 1991). Only six specimens were pesticide free, and analyses indicated that maximum residue limits (MRLs) for dieldrin and total DDTs (the sum of DDT and its metabolites) were exceeded in some samples. A survey of organochlorine contamination in waters and sediments in Western Australia (ANZEC 1991; Thompson et al. 1992) indicated that river flushing following rainfall contributed relatively high loadings of chlordane, total DDTs, dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide, and that Environment Protection Authority (EPA) criteria for the maintenance and preservation of marine aquatic ecosystems were exceeded in 63% of waters sampled.

With regard to the possible effects of persistent organochlorines on human health, ANZEC (1991) notes that the majority of fish eaten by Australians is taken from waters which contain relatively low concentrations of organochlorine contaminants. This statement is based on the results of regular market basket surveys by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC), which examine the concentrations of such organochlorine compounds as aldrin, BHC, DDT and its metabolites, dieldrin, heptachlor, HCB, lindane and PCBs in foods including fish. Of these contaminants, only DDE and PCBs were detected in locally caught or imported fish samples, and dietary intakes have been estimated to be below the Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Health Organisation acceptable daily intakes.

Farrugia, A.J. 1986, Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in the Urban Environment, Especially Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Dieldrin, Heptachlor and Lindane, Assessment Report 86/3, State Pollution Control Commission, NSW.

Safer insecticides

Benzenehexachloride, an ICI discovery, was one of the most effective insecticides known. For many years it was indispensible for the control of insect infestation in sugar cane. Long before Rachel Carson's concern, its toxicity was recognised: ICI UK workers had found that only one of the several isomers in the compound, gamma, amounting to 13 per cent, was active against insects. Isomers are compounds of identical composition but different in configuration, in this particular case in spatial configuration. In such cases separation often presents considerable difficulties. If the active isomer could be isolated this would reduce toxicity by a factor of 6 or 7. ICI UK therefore developed a separation process based on differential solubilities of the isomers in several solvents to produce the pure gamma isomer, 'Lindane'. ICI Australia did not have access to these expensive solvents; a factory R&D team therefore substituted a process based on a two-step metastable crystallisation from aqueous methanol. A plant was built and after some difficulties with the corrosive solvent local 'Lindane' replaced imports from the UK. A few months later, however, Government policy changed; import restrictions were lifted and German 'Lindane' could be imported at less than production cost. It was another lesson on the impact of policy changes and of the scale effect of overseas plants.

http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/645.html

10. Organochlorines in Australia

Stanford Harrison
Department of Primary Industries & Energy
Commonwealth of Australia

The use of organochlorine (OC) chemicals built up during the 1950's, peaked around 1975 and was largely phased out by 1990. This paper and the accompanying chart present a general history of OCs in Australia - their introduction and removal from use in Australia's agricultural and pest control industries.

The use of OC pesticides in Australia reduced dramatically between the mid-1970's and the early 1980's. The phase-out process was not just driven by government bans and deregistrations, it was also driven by farmer perceptions that produce containing residues of these chemicals was less acceptable. The rapid reduction in use of these chemicals has led to a problem of collection and disposal of obsolete stocks, particularly stocks remaining on farms.

Alternatives were found for most uses, though these were most difficult to find for uses in Australia's tropical agricultural areas. Use of OCs as termiticides were the last registered uses in Australia, with particular difficulty being encountered in developing effective alternative approaches to preventing subterranean termite attack of buildings.

The following is a chronology of the major events in the use of organochlorines in Australia over the past 60 years:

1939 DDT recognised as an insecticide.

1942 Benzenehexachloride (BHC) developed (includes lindane, which is the gamma isomer).

1944 DDT achieved world prominence when a typhus epidemic in Naples was overcome. 1.3 million people dusted to kill lice. After this, DDT became main agent for control of vectors for many deadly diseases.

1940's Development of chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin and heptachlor..

1950's Registration in Australia of DDT, aldrin, lindane, BHC and dieldrin. Expansion of uses of OCs in Australia in agricultural and pest control industries.

1961 National Residue Survey established in Australia, monitoring residues in produce.

1961 Australian Standing Committee on Agriculture recommended that the use of OCs on food producing animals in external applications cease.

First OC restrictions in Australia. Registrations for OCs on food producing animals, and poultry ended except for use of DDT against buffalo fly in Queensland (and this use was deregistered in 1975).

1962 Publication of "Silent Spring".

1970 Australian Market Basket Survey commenced and included monitoring of residues in table ready foodstuffs.

By the early 1970s

all OC labels were required to carry cautions regarding application to crops or pastures (including grass clippings) to be eaten by feed-producing animals or poultry. In 1978 the wording was modified to mention the illegality of applying OCs to any soil which might in the future be used to grow produce which could be eaten by humans, food producing animals or poultry.

1972 Report from the Australian Academy of Science entitled "The Use of DDT in Australia". It recommended continued use of DDT where its use clearly outweighed the disadvantages, plus further emphasis on research for alternatives.

August 1972 Australian Agricultural Council recommended that all existing registrations for DDT should be reviewed as a matter of urgency, with a view to withdrawing all uses for which acceptable substitutes were available.

1974 Peak OC registrations and usage.

1970s During the early 1970s the Standing Committee on Agriculture formulated its policy of getting persistent OCs deregistered in all agricultural uses as soon as alternatives were available.

1975-1980 At the start of this period there were very large numbers of pest/commodity agricultural combinations for DDT, BHC and dieldrin; a lesser number for lindane and chlordane; and a few for aldrin.

In 1975 one or more OC-based products were registered for use against pests in a range of crops including most fruit and vegetables, cereals, rice, cotton, sugarcane, tobacco, almonds, macadamia, maize, sorghum, safflower, pasture and pasture seed crops. Other uses were against termites, and around livestock quarters, sheep pens, pig sties, poultry houses and food storage structures.

By the end of 1980 drastic reductions in the number of formerly approved pest/commodity combinations had occurred with corresponding reduction in use of OCs. Those that remained had in every case been carefully scrutinised by registration authorities to see whether continued use was necessary. Continuous pressure was maintained by relevant committees e.g. the Technical Committee on Agricultural Chemicals (TCAC), to reduce approved OC uses.

In 1981 the situation for use of OCs in agriculture was as follows:

• DDT: registration withdrawn in cotton, a few minor agricultural uses remained.
• BHC: only sugarcane remained, and it was deregistered in 1985-87.
• lindane: very few agricultural approvals remained, and they were deregistered in 1985.
• aldrin: only sugarcane remained of the agricultural uses, and it was deregistered in 1985.
• dieldrin: only sugarcane and bananas remained of the agricultural uses, and they were deregistered in 1985.
• endrin: all remaining agricultural applications were deregistered.
• chlordane and heptachlor: only a few pests on sugarcane were still allowed in agricultural applications, and baiting for termites in tree plantations in tropical areas.

By the end of 1985

virtually every one of the pest/crop/chemical combinations in agricultural applications had been deregistered.

1986 The Drugs and Poison Scheduling Committee reviewed the toxicology of heptachlor, aldrin, chlordane and dieldrin, following which the Public Health Committee recommended that only very limited use of these chemicals be allowed in agriculture, a code of practice be developed for pest control operators.

1987 Report from the Plant Health Committee of the Standing Committee on Agriculture entitled "Soil Insect Pests of Australia: Control Alternatives to Persistent Organochlorine Insecticides", which described alternatives to OCs for soil insect pests.

1987 Commencement of OC stocks recall programs by States/Territories.

May 1987 Food Safety and Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture found DDT residues in Australian beef exports, and dieldrin and heptachlor soon after.

December 1987 Import prohibition on OCs into Australia, unless Ministerial approval had been obtained for each consignment imported.

February 1989 Report entitled "Health, Politics, Trade: Controlling Chemical Residues in Agricultural Products" completed by Australian Science and Technology Council, which looked, among other things, at the problem of OCs as persistent environmental contaminants of agricultural land now appearing as residues in produce.

September 1989 Conference "Organochlorine Residues: Strategies for Management and Research in Australia" held at Ballarat, Victoria.

November 1992 Release of Duggin Report "Cyclodiene Insecticide Use in Australia", which recommended the deregistration of aldrin and dieldrin when remaining stocks were exhausted, and use of chlordane and heptachlor to be continued for non-agricultural uses only pending the development of viable alternatives.

1993 Establishment of the National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRA), which took over the function of assessment and approval of agvet chemicals from pre-existing State bodies.

Jan 1994 NRA report Use of organochlorines in termite control published April 1994, recommending the phaseout of OCs used in termite control upon development of viable alternatives.

Jan 1994 Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (ARMCANZ) decision to phase out remaining OC uses by 30 June 1995 (30 June 1997 in Northern Territory in recognition of special circumstances).

30 June 1995 Use of heptachlor and chlordane phased out in all States/Territories except the Northern Territory.

Feb 1997 Decision to extend use of heptachlor and chlordane as termiticides in the Northern Territory to exhaust current stocks and pending research into alternatives.

Nov 1997 Use of all OCs except mirex have been phased out in Australia.  Remaining stocks of mirex to be used only for contained baits for termites in plantations of young trees in the Northern Territory, until stocks run out, which is expected in the near future.

Toxaphene was registered briefly in the early 1960's for control of grasshoppers. Only small quantities used.

Mirex used only as a bait for termites in the Northern Territory.

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was used briefly in the 1960's. Only small quantities used.

Organochlorines were widely used in Australia's agricultural and pest control industries during the 1960's and early 1970's, though with initial restrictions on use occurring in 1961. This use fell dramatically during the late 1970's, and by 1981 most agricultural uses had been deregistered except for some tropical and minor uses. Use as termiticides was largely terminated by 1995, with in 1997 a single use of mirex as a localised termite bait remaining till stocks are exhausted. The rapid phase-out has created a problem with stocks of obsolete chemicals, and the search for alternatives has been particularly challenging in some tropical agricultural applications and in termiticide uses.

http://irptc.unep.ch/pops/POPs_Inc/proceedings/bangkok/HARRISON.html

Organochlorines in Australia

http://www.chem.unep.ch/pops/POPs_Inc/