The Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA) has announced the removal of all pesticide products containing DCPA (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate). The decision comes on the heels of an emergency order by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop the use of the DCPA in the United States. The actions of the APVMA reflect a high regard for human health and a determination to align with international standards.

DCPA is a herbicide widely used in vegetables, lawns and cotton, with 12 related products on the Australian market. The APVMA moved quickly to remove these products after identifying an immediate risk that they could cause serious injury or serious illness. The CEO of the APVMA stressed that the agency has the authority to act quickly when it finds that there is an imminent risk to human health by removing all products containing the DCPA and asking individuals in possession of these products to stop using them immediately.

This decision by the APVMA does not set a phase-out period, but simply eliminates these products to reaffirm the importance of human health risks. The APVMA believes that the continued use of these products can cause irreversible harm to pregnant women and their unborn babies.

For now, farmers and retailers can continue to hold the products until further notice is issued by the APVMA, but are not allowed to use them. APVMA will soon release information on product recall requests. It is now illegal to use DCPA as an agricultural chemical product in Australia.

The following is a list of cancelled products containing the DCPA: