Following Ministers' endorsement of a recommendation from the
Advisory Committee on Pesticides and a routine review, MAFF's
Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) has revoked approvals to use
and sell four home garden-use pesticides containing dichlorophen.
Commenting on the revocation action, Food Safety Minister Jeff
Rooker said: "The revocation is the result of scientific
evaluation of experiments. Stopping the sale, supply, advertising
and use of these products is a precautionary measure to protect
consumers."
The products concerned are:
* BioMosskiller (MAFF approval number 00270) - Pan Britannica
Industries;
* Boots Total Lawn Treatment (MAFF 00293) - The Boots Company
plc;
* Vitax Greenup Lawn Feed `N' Weed Plus Mosskiller (MAFF 05570)
- Vitax Limited;
* Greenup Lawn Feed `N' Weed Plus Mosskiller (MAFF 08598)
- Vitax Limited.
Amongst the data submitted were studies that demonstrate that
liquid formulations containing 40g per litre or more of
dichlorophen could cause serious eye irritation. This is
unacceptable under the strict safety standards for home garden
products. The relevant legal approvals have therefore been
revoked so that these products can no longer be sold, advertised
or used. However, they may be stored for a further six months,
pending disposal.
Pan Britannics Industries Limited, and Vitax Limited, who are
responsible for three of the products concerned, have launched a
product recall and safe disposal programme for their products.
Users of these products should contact the helplines that the
Companies have set up for advice on disposal.
The fourth product, Boots Total Lawn Treatment, has not been
marketed since 1993, and only small amounts of this product are
likely to be held by users. However, Boots has undertaken to
receive and dispose of any Boots Total Lawn Treatment returned to
its stores.
Users are advised to employ the disposal arrangements described
above.
Users should not dispose of these products on land, or down the
sink, toilet or drains because of the risk of exposure. Nor
should they be put in domestic refuse bins, because of the risk to
refuse workers if a bottle were punctured.
(Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food News
Release, 30th October 1997)
The following recall notice has been published in the national
press:
PRODUCT RECALL NOTICE
Bio Moss Killer
(Concentrate) and Vitax
Green-up Lawn Feed'N
Weed plus Mosskiller (Liquid)
Following a routine review by the Government's Pesticides Safety
Directorate, approval for the sale, supply and use of the above
products has been withdrawn.
This precautionary measure follows a recent reclassification of
the products' potential to cause eye irritation in undiluted form.
It is not as a result of any adverse reports received by
manufacturers or the regulatory authorities.
Other pbi products, including Bio Moss Killer Ready-To-Use Trigger
Spray and those in the Vitax Green-up Lawncare range are not
affected.
Two Freephone telephone helplines have been set up for gardeners
providing advice on the safe disposal of each product.
For specific advice on
Bio Moss Killer (MAFF 00270) call
0800 110 010
(Lines open from 9am - 5.30pm from today)
Pan Britannica Industries Ltd.,
Martinbridge Trading Estate
Lincoln Road, Enfield EN1 1SP
(Illustrations not reproduced on computer.)
For specific advice on Vitax Green-up
Lawn Feed'N Weed plus Mosskiller (MAFF 05570)
0800 731 4497
(Lines open from 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday)
Vitax Ltd., Own Street, Coalville
Leicestershire LE67 3DE
(Source: The Daily Telegraph, 1st November 1997)
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