EPA Reminds Pesticide Retailers Diazinon
'Stop-Sale' Date Approaching/
Press Advisory
4 October 2004
Back to Montana Pesticide
Education and Safety Program (MT PESP)
EPA has issued a notice to remind retailers of a Dec. 31, 2004, stop-sale date
for all outdoor diazinon home, lawn and garden products. It will be unlawful to
sell diazinon outdoor non-agricultural use products in the United States after
the end of this year. This is part of an agreement between EPA and
diazinon registrants to phase out and eliminate all residential uses of the
insecticide diazinon.
Discontinuing diazinon use in home, lawn and garden care is part of EPA's
ongoing effort under the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act to reduce the risk of
pesticides, especially to children.
Diazinon registrants are offering a "buy back" program to assist with
removing these products from the market and preventing further sale. The
registrants will repurchase any unopened, unused outdoor residential products
from retailers or formulators. Retailers should make all possible efforts
to sell their diazinon products back to the manufacturers by March 31,
2005.
Consumers may continue to use diazinon residential products according to label
directions and precautions. If consumers choose to discontinue use, they
should contact their state or local hazardous waste disposal program or local
solid waste
collection service for information on proper disposal. Consumers are
advised not to dispose of pesticides in sinks, toilets, storm drains, or any
body of water. The local government may recommend that consumers take
diazinon products to
a household hazardous waste collection site.
The organophosphate pesticide, diazinon, has been one of the most widely used
insecticides in the United States for household lawn and garden pest control, as
well as for indoor residential treatments. All indoor use product
registrations have been cancelled and retail sale ended on Dec. 31, 2002.
More information on diazinon is available at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/diazinon.htm
.