Title: Australian pesticide regulator adopts a precautionary approach to highly hazardous pesticide

On 10 October 2024, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) issued a special gazette notification announcing the cancellation of 12 product registrations containing chlorthal-dimethyl. Chlorthal-dimethyl was considered a potential threat to human health, especially unborn children. The APVMA used strong, cautionary language in its announcement:

“We haven’t taken this decision lightly and are exercising a high degree of caution in cancelling these products and ask those who hold them to cease use immediately," wrote Mr Scott Hanson, CEO of the APVMA.

The APVMA move aligns with the precautionary principle, a globally accepted approach where regulators take action to prevent harm even when full scientific certainty is not yet available.

While the cancellation reflects a clear effort to protect unborn children and young children who might come into contact with turf treated with the chemical, the bigger story is what this case study reveals about Australia's regulatory system. The language of the APVMA's CEO Mr Hanson shows caution and urgency:

“The APVMA has the power to act swiftly where we identify an imminent risk to human health and we are exercising that authority today with the cancellation of all products containing chlorthal dimethyl.”

The APVMA's decision is consistent with a hazard-assessment and precautionary action approach, as the regulator acted due to the identification of an imminent risk to human health, thereby indicating a response to the hazardous nature of the chemical, regardless of quantified exposure data.

An emphasis on mitigating health risks reflects hazard identification and risk mitigation, core components of most modern hazard assessment methodologies. Even in absence of a complete risk evaluation, the acknowledgment of potential harm to human justifies regulatory action under a precautionary framework.

The APVMA’s decision-making language reflects the precautionary principle by:

  1. Acting swiftly in the face of a known human health risk;
  2. Making a preventative decision without waiting for full scientific certainty; and
  3. Using its authority under section 45A(1)(b) of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 to protect human safety.


For a full analysis of the decision and the issues, read the full case study (open access via ResearchGate).



Attachments:
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Article: WeedsNews7115 (permalink)
Categories: :WeedsNews:regulatory science, :WeedsNews:regulatory failure, :WeedsNews:safety, :WeedsNews:policy
Date: 20 July 2025; 3:04:52 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time

Author Name: David Low
Author ID: adminDavid