UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 

DEC 08 20\\ 

MEMORANDUM 

OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY 

AND POLLUTION PREVENTION 

SUBJECT: BEAD Chemical Profile for Registration Review: Aldicarb (098301) 

FROM: 

THRU: 

TO: 

David Brassard, Entomologist 

Biological Analysis Branch 

Katherine 

Science Information 

Stebbins, Biologist 

and Analysis 

~ 

Branch 

Economic 

Biological 

Derek Berwald, 

Analysis 

and Economic 

Economist 

Branch 

Analysis Division (7503P) 

~ 

Arnet Jones, Chief /J A "'\ 

Biological Analysis Branch ~ 

Diann Sims, Chief J1}~--l"-'Y Science Information and Analysis Branch 

Timothy Kiely, Chief [\- k. I J 

Economic Analysis Branch ~ \). V" \J 

Biological and Economic Analysis Division (7503P) 

Susan Bartow, Chemical Review Manager 

Anne Overstreet, Team Leader 

Eric Olson, Acting Branch Chief 

Risk Management and Implementation Branch 4 

Pesticide Reevaluation Division (7508P) 

Peer Review Panel date: July 14,2010 

INTRODUCTION 

The purpose of this document is to convey usage information and a broad overview of the pest 

management role of pesticides that are beginning to undergo registration review. The anticipated 

audience consists of the team of EPA staff currently evaluating the registration status of aldicarb, 
and eventually the general public. 1bis document builds upon the data already provided in the 

"U sage and Label Use Data Packages" that are also provided to Registration Review teams by 

BEAD. The document is based on infonnation and data available to BEAD as of November 23, 

2011. 

Aldicarb is a systemic carbamate insecticide, acaricide, and nematicide used on agricultural 

crops including cotton, dry beans, peanuts, soybeans, sugar beets, and sweet potatoes. Aldicarb 

is fonnulated as a granular pesticide and is usually applied early in the growing season (preplant, at-plant, or early post-emergent) using ground application equipment. In past BEAD 

analyses, aldicarb has been shown to have significant value to growers. Because aldicarb is a 

high value chemical with significant risks, BEAD anticipates that registration review will require 

substantial effort. 

REGULATORY HISTORY 

Aldicarb w~ first registered in the U.S. in 1970. The use of aldicarb on coffee, ornamentals, 

pecans, sugarcane, sorghum, tobacco, and alfalfa grown for seed were cancelled as a result of the 

RED issued in 2007. The RED also required new risk mitigation language on labeling for 

cotton, dry beans, peanuts, soybeans, sugar beets, and sweet potatoes. On August 16, 2010, 

Bayer signed a Memorandum of Agreement that resulted in the removal of the citrus and potato 

uses from the label and a phase-out of all remaining uses by 2018. Later in 2010, the 

Registration Division received a new application from AgLogic, LLC to register a 15% granular 

fonnulation of aldicarb for use on cotton, dry beans, peanuts, soybeans, sugar beets, and sweet 

potatoes. 

USE SITES 

Aldicarb is registered for use on cotton, dry beans, peanuts, soybeans, sugar beets, and sweet 

potatoes. 

COMMON FORMULATIONS AND APPLICATION METHODS 

The only labeled fonnulation for aldicarb is granular. Aldicarb may be applied as a soil 

treatment using ground equipment by any of the following methods: sidedress, bandiT-band, and 

in-furrow treatment. 

When applied as a post-emergence application to peanuts (pegging application), aldicarb may be 

applied in a band 12 to 18 inches wide onto the row and into the plant canopy. The granules must 

be dislodged from the plant and the application should be followed immediately by irrigation 

(unless rainfall is received). 

USAGE 

Over the 1998-2010 timeframe, usage overall (excluding sweet potatoes because usage data are 

not available) was relatively stable (Figure 1). In 1999, there was a notable increase in use 

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which was largely driven by use in citrus. During the most recent years of 2006-2010, on 

average, approximately 3.7 million pounds of aldicarb was used to treat 3.6 million acres 

(Proprietary Data 2006-2010). Depending on the crop, aldicarb is typically applied at a rate of 

0.6-4.2 pounds AI per acre (Proprietary Data 2006-2010). 

Pounds AI A lied 1998-2010 

6,000,000 .,--------------------------

- Other 

- Potatoes 

- Peanuts 

- Oranges 

- Cotton 

o 

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

Source: Proprietary Data (1998-2010) 

From 2006-2010, the top crops in terms of the pounds AI applied were cotton (47%), oranges 

(23%), peanuts (13%), and potatoes (6%) (Figure 2). In terms of the acres treated, cotton ranked 

highest at (72%), followed, by peanuts (14%) and oranges (5%) (Figure 3). The differences in 

ranking between the pounds and acres treated is a function of the rate (the typical rates for citrus 

and potatoes are much higher than for cotton and peanuts). 

The states with the most agricultural usage in terms of pounds AI applied are Florida (28% of the 

national pounds applied), Georgia (22%), Texas (12%), North Carolina (9%) and Idaho (5%). 

The top states for acres treated with by aldicarb are Georgia (31 % of national acres treated), 

Texas (20%), North Carolina (11 %), Florida (7%), Arkansas (5%) and Alabama (5%). 

Figure 4 spatially represents aldicarb usage (average pounds a.i. applied) in the US. The use 

pattern shows concentrations of aldicarb use in the Southeast, where aldicarb was used on 

peanuts, cotton and citrus, with some significant use in the potato growing areas of the 

northwest. Because aldicarb is no longer used on potato or citrus, this map would look different 

in the future. 

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Figure 2. Top Crops for Aldicarb, 2006-2010 (Percent of Total Pounds AI Applied) 

6% 

Peanuts 

13% 

Other 

Cotton 

47% 

Other crops (listed in order of ranking) grapefruit, sugarbeets, soybeans, tobacco, pecans, dry beans/peas, sugarcane, 

sorghum, and lemons. 

Source: Proprietary Data, 2006-2010 

Figure 3. Top Crops for Aldicarb, 2006-2010 (Percent of Total Acre Treatments) 

Other 

Other crops (listed in order of ranking) soybeans, sugarbeets, grapefruit, tobacco, dry beans/peas, pecans, sorghum, 

sugarcane, and lemons. 

Source: Proprietary Data, 2006-2010 

4 
Figure 4. Aldicarb Usage by Crop Reporting District (2006-2010) 

Average Pounds per 

1,000 Acres of Farmland 

_ >0-3 

_ 4-10 

D ll-19 

0 20-62 

63 - 210 

N 

I 

This is a map of agricultural pesticide usage at the Crop Reporting District (CRD) level. CRDs are 

boundaries created by USDA NASS which are aggregates of counties (USDA, 2010). Pesticide usage is 

displayed as average pounds (for the years 2006-2010) per 1,000 acres offarmland in a CRD to normalize for 

the variation in farmland between CRDs. Farmland acreage was obtained from USDA (2007). 

Usage is based on private market surveys of pesticide use in agriculture (Proprietary Data, 2006-2010). The 

survey data are limited to the states that represent the top 80-90% of acreage for the individual crops, 

therefore, use may be occurring in regions outside the scope of the survey. CRDs showing no usage of 

pesticides may be due to either the lack of pesticide use in the region or non-participation in the agricultural 

surveys. 

Sources: 

Proprietary Data. 2006-2010 

USDA, 2006-2010. NASS Crop Reporting Districts. Online: 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/arms/resourceregions/resourceregions.htm#nass. 

USDA, 2007. Census of Agriculture. Online: http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/index.asp. 

5 
BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS RELEVANT TO ALDICARB 

Aldicarb is applied to the soil as a pre-plant, at-plant, or early post-emergent treatment, using 

ground application equipment. The biggest use of aldicarb is on cotton, where it is used 

primarily for control of thrips. On peanuts, aldicarb is used to control nematodes and thrips and 

to provide suppression of leafhoppers and spider mites. On dry beans, aldicarb is used to control 

nematodes, seedcorn maggot, and aphids. The use of aldicarb on dry beans is only allowed in 

Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Michigan. On soybeans, aldicarb is used to control 

nematodes, Mexican bean beetle, and thrips. The use of aldicarb on soybeans is only allowed in 

Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. On sugarbeets, aldicarb is used to 

control nematodes and sugarbeet root maggot. The use of aldicarb on soybeans is only allowed 

in Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. On sweet potatoes, aldicarb is used 

to control nematodes. The use of aldicarb on sweet potatoes is only allowed in Louisiana and 

Mississippi. 

HISTORY OF BEAD ASSESSMENTS FOR ALDICARB 

Because it is a pesticide with high value to growers but significant risks, aldicarb has been 

evaluated many times by BEAD, mostly as a part of alternative analyses supporting the recent 

reregistration of the chemical. In general, aldicarb is a pesticide with high value to growers 

because it controls a broad spectrum of pest control and has a longer period of residual activity 

than most alternatives. In addition to the summaries below, BEAD has evaluated aldicarb use on 

potatoes and citrus. Because aldicarb is no longer registered on those crops, summaries are not 

included, but they also showed aldicarb to have a high value. 

The biggest use of aldicarb is on cotton, where it is used primarily for control of thrips. As part 

of the risk-benefit analysis for reregistration, BEAD conducted an analysis of possible 

alternatives to aldicarb used on cotton in the major cotton growing areas. Aldicarb also provides 

control of several other cotton pests, and it provides protection for a longer time than any of the 

alternatives. Because of its long residual activity, in many cases growers can apply one 

treatment of aldicarb, rather than multiple treatments of other chemicals for equivalent control. 

Although there is no single chemical replacement for aldicarb, a combination of chemicals could 

be used effectively. The alternatives for aphid and thrips control could include imidacloprid, 

thiamethoxam and acephate (Atwood, 2011). The combination of chemicals was more 

expensive than aldicarb: example calculations showed that chemical costs alone would be about 

$2 per acre higher in Mississippi and $22 per acre higher in California. 

In addition to insect pests, aldicarb can control nematodes. If nematodes are considered the 

target pest, growers have fe'Yer alternatives to aldicarb. Alternatives for controlling nematodes 

would be abamectin, chloropicrin, dichloropropene, and metam sodium (Atwood, 2011), 

although these may be cost prohibitive in cotton. Based on EPA proprietary data, the additional 

cost for replacing aldicarb with 1,3-dichloropropene, along with the combination of chemicals to 

provide control of thrips is about $38 per acre. Of that figure, $36 per acre is based on the 

chemical cost of 1,3-dichloropropene Ifwe were to assume that these acres were treated with 

1,3-dichloropropene instead, the additional costs are over $50 million annually. It is unlikely, 

6 
however, that all of the acreage with aldicarb applied as a nematicide would be treated with 1,3-

dichloropropene. Depending on the local conditions, growers may choose not to apply a 

nematicide, but rather accept the yield losses from nematode damage. BEAD did not have an 

estimate of the resulting yield loss (Berwald and Chiri, 2007). 

On peanuts, aldicarb is used to control nematodes and thrips on peanuts, and it also provides 

suppression of leafhoppers and spider mites. Unlike other crops, on peanuts aldicarb can be 

applied twice in a growing season. Aldicarb can be applied when peanuts are planted, or can be 

used as a split treatment, where aldicarb is applied both at planting time and later in the season, 

when the plants are forming pegs which develop into peanuts, although that "at-peg" application 

seems to be used less often than in the past (Atwood, 2011). While early season control of 

nematodes may be achieved with a pre-plant soil fumigation with 1,3-dichloropropene (1 ,3-D) or 

other fumigants, there are no effective alternatives for the at-peg application of aldicarb for 

nematode control. Without aldicarb, costs to growers from the yield losses due to nematode 

damage alone was estimated to exceed $15 million a year in Georgia, and up to $22 million a 

year nationwide. There were uncertainties in the analysis, but alternatives for late season control 

for nematodes were up to $300 per acre based on data from field trials performed in Georgia 

(Chiri and Berwald, 2007). Alternatives to control thrips in peanut include phorate and acephate 

(Atwood,2011). 

There are other, smaller uses of aldicarb where industry participants consider it to be an 

important chemical. These include production of sweet potato slips, soybeans in the southern 

United States, and pecan growers. 

DATA NEEDS RELEVANT TO BEAD'S FUTURE WORK ON ALDICARB 

Usage data for sweet potatoes (ex. pounds a.i. applied, total area treated, percent of the crop treated) 

may be needed for future assessments. 

REFERENCES 

Atwood, Don, Alternatives Assessmentfor Aldicarb on Cotton and Peanut, June 22, 2011. 

Chiri, Angel and Derek Berwald, Quantitative Impact Analysis for At-Peg Application of 

Aldicarb on Peanuts (DP 337549), June 20, 2007. 

Berwald, Derek and Angel Chiri, Significance of Aldicarb Use in the Production of Dry Beans, 

Soybeans, Pecans, Sweet Potatoes, Cotton and Citrus, September 20,2007. 

Gross, William, Angel Chiri and Derek Berwald, Preliminary alternatives Analysis for Aldicarb 

on Potatoes (DP 299886), December 30, 2005. 

NPIRS,2011 http://npirs.ceris.purdue.edu 

Proprietary Data. (1998-2010). 

U.S. EPA. 2007. Reregistration Eligibility Decision for Aldicarb. 

http://www .epa. gov /oppsrrd 1 /reregistrationlREDsl aldicarb red. pdf 

7