Banning Diazinon in Iran Helps Conserve Wildlife Populations

Abstract

Diazinon has been popular neurotoxic organophosphate cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticide for decades because it reliably kills a broad spectrum of arthropods associated with human health hazards and agricultural economic losses. Diazinon does not only affect arthropods, however; it is also one of the most common long-lasting environmental contaminants of air, soil, and water, creating direct and indirect toxic threats to vertebrate populations including birds, fish, mammals, and humans. To minimize and eventually eliminate exposure of Iran’s wildlife and human populations to diazinon, the Iran Plant Protection Organization banned the import of technical-grade diazinon on 23 September 2019, and regulated phasing out all domestic use by 23 September 2022. This regulation will lead to significant decrease in use of diazinon in Iran, facilitating wildlife-friendly farming, reducing threats to Iran’s bird, fish, and wildlife populations, improving the quality of life for Iran’s human population, and perhaps inspiring other countries in the region to also ban diazinon.

Acknowledgements

I thank Dr. James F. Dwyer for the review and English editing, and Dr. Pierre Mineau for his valuable suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

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2 C. Tomlin, The Pesticide Manual: A World Compendium (12th ed, Farnham, British Crop Protection Council, 2000); Environmental Protection Agency, ‘Reregistration Eligibility Decision for Diazinon’, http://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/reregistration/red_PC-057801_31-Jul-06.pdf.

3 IPCS (n1); V Aggarwal et al, ‘Diazinon-Chemistry and Environmental Fate: A California Perspective’ in DM Whitacre (ed), Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (Heidelberg, Springer, 2013) 107–140.

4 Tomlin (n2).

5 Farm Chemicals International, ‘Diazinon; Crop Protection Database’, http://www.farmchemicalsinternational.com; Iranian Students News Agency, ‘Localization and Export of Agricultural Pesticides/Criticism of Imports of Similar Products’, https://www.isna.ir/news/98112518167.

6 F Amani et al, ‘The Effect of Diazinon Application on Soil Microorganisms Frequency and Biodiversity in the Laboratory Condition’ (2019) 29 Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production 123.

7 H Kidd and DR James (eds), The Agrochemicals Handbook (3rd ed, Cambridge, Royal Society of Chemistry Information Services, 1991).

8 Environmental Protection Agency, ‘Risks of Diazinon Use to the Federally Listed Endangered Barton Springs Salamander’, https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/endanger/litstatus/effects/bss-diazinon-assessment.pdf.

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10 S Sarkar et al, The Use of Pesticides in Developing Countries and their Impact on Health and the Right to Food (Brussels, European Parliament, 2021).

11 United States Public Health Service, Hazardous Substance Data Bank (Washington, DC, USPHS, 1995) 5–9; P Mineau et al, ‘Reference Values for Comparing the Acute Toxicity of Pesticides to Birds’ (2001) 170 Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 13.

12 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profile for Diazinon (Atlanta, United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2008).

13 P Mineau, ‘Birds and Pesticides: Are Pesticide Regulatory Decisions Consistent with the Protection Afforded Migratory Bird Species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act?’ (2004) 28 William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review 313.

14 Environmental Protection Agency, Diazinon Revised Risk Assessment and Agreement with Registrants (Washington DC, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, 2001), http://www.oda.state.ok.us/forms/cps/epaagree.pdf.

15 Environmental Protection Agency, ‘Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision, Diazinon’, https://archive.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/web/pdf/2550ired.pdf.

16 See http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/eu-pesticidesdatabase/public/?event=activesubstance.detail&language=EN&selectedID=1208.

17 ‘L’ANSES retire l’autorisation de mise sur le marche de certains colliers antiparasitaires destines aux animaux de compagnie’, https://www.anses.fr/fr/system/files/PRES2012CPA07.pdf.

18 Iran Plant Protection Organization, ‘Registered Pesticides List’, https://www.malayeru.ac.ir/portal/file/?79333.

19 R Arjmandi, M Shayeghi and M Tavakol, ‘The Study of the Residue of Diazinon Insecticide in the Rice Fields in Amol’ (2008) 3 Plant and Ecosystem 2; Aftab Yazd Newspaper, ‘Stop Using Diazinon’, http://aftabeyazd.ir/?newsid=7020; Iranian Students News Agency, ‘Diazinon Leads to Death’, https://www.isna.ir/news/94090200988.

20 AYN, ibid; A Velaie, A Zaghy and A Tabari, Practical Guideline; Management of Rice Striped Stem Borer Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Tehran, Iran Plant Protection Organization, 2019).

21 M Shayeghi, M Khoobdel and H Vtandoost, ‘Determination of Organophosphorus Insecticides (Malathion and Diazinon) Residue in the Drinking Water’ (2007) 10 Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 2900; Arjmandi (n20); R Dehghani et al, Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticides (Diazinon and Chlorpyrifos) in Water Resources in Barzok, Kashan’ (2012) 14 Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical Sciences 66; M Mackialeagha and M Farahani, ‘Investigation of the Residues of Chlorpyrifos and Diazinon in Apple Fruit in Damavand Region’ (2012) 38 Journal of Environmental Studies 111; S Sobhanardakani, ‘Residual Levels of Diazinon and Benomyl on Greenhouse Mushroom’ (2015) 29 Iranian Journal of Toxicology 1307; S Abdi and SS Ardakani, ‘Determination of Benomyl and Diazinon Residues in Strawberry and its Related Health Implications’ (2019) 25 Razi Journal of Medical Sciences 42.

22 Iranian Students News Agency, (2014) ‘In Conversation with a Plant Protection Expert, Mentioned; Human, Last Destination of Pesticides’, https://www.isna.ir/news/markazi-65061; AYN (n19).

23 Iran Plant Protection Organization, ‘Suspended or Banned Pesticides Based on Pesticides Regulatory Review Committee’, https://mspl.mashhad.ir//parameters/mashhad/modules/cdk/upload/content/file_manager/10157/Sam_1_%20mehr97-.pdf.

24 Ibid; Iran Plant Protection Organization, ‘The List of Suspended or Banned Pesticides’, http://hormozgan-agri-jahad.com/upload/1619239414566.pdf.

25 Sarkar (n10).

26 M Kolnegari and M Hazrati Farid, ‘Essay about Threats of Agriculture on Biodiversity and Its Management Strategies’ in Proceedings of 1^st Sustainable Ecosystem and Development National Congress (Arak, Iran, Islamic Azad University, 2014); G Golmohammadi, M Kolnegari and H Farazmand, ‘Efficacy of Minerals and Plant-Based Compounds against Thrips and Leafhoppers in Potato Fields in Arak’ in Proceedings of 1st Iranian International Congress of Entomology (Tehran, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, 2015).

27 UNEP & GRID-Arendal, ‘The Illegal Trade in Chemicals’, https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/32021/Chemicals.pdf.

28 C Frezal and G Garsous, New Digital Technologies to Tackle Trade in Illegal Pesticides (Paris, OECD, 2020); Sarkar (n10).

29 Ibid.

30 Sarkar (n10).

31 CT de Montaigu and D Goulson, ‘Identifying Agricultural Pesticides That May Pose a Risk for Birds’ (2020) 8 Peer J e9526; EA Gomez, S Hindmarch and JA Smith, Raptors and Anticoagulant Rodenticides’ (2022) 56 Journal of Raptor Research 147.

32 ISNA (n5).

33 Sarkar (n10).

34 JF Dwyer, JD Fraser and JL Morrison, ‘Evolution of Communal Roosting: A Social Refuge—Territory Prospecting Hypothesis’ (2018) 52 Journal of Raptor Research 407.

35 Farm Chemicals International (n5); Sarkar (n10).