1 **UNITED STA TES ENVIRONMENTA**  **L PROTECTION A GENCY**  WA SHINGTON, D.C. 20460

OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION **Risk s**  **and Benefit**  **s for the Remaining Uses of Azinphos**  **- methyl**  **July 1,**  **20 12**  In November of 2006 , EPA issued a final decision to phase out all of the remaining uses of azinphos - methyl (AZM) by September 30 , 2012. The phase - out was implemented through amended registration terms and conditions submitted by each of the AZM registrants. EPA also issued a cancellation order to put the phase - out into effect. In connection with the terms and conditions of registration, EPA committed to conducting a new risk - benefit anal ys i s prior to the effective date of cancellation . Following that anal ys is , EPA would then determine whether the risk benefit anal ys is indicated the need to allow for an extension of the 6 - ye ar phase - out period or whether it supported maintaining the terms of the current phase out. In the 2006 phase - out decision, EPA determined that there were worker and eco logical risk s that warranted cancellation , but concluded that in light of high near- term benefits to growers, it would allow a 6 - ye ar pha se - out , provided certain risk mitigation provisions (reduced applications and application rates, as well as buffer zones around water bodies and certain structures ) were implemented during the phase - out to further reduce risk to workers and the environment. EPA concluded that high near- time benefits existed because many ke y alternatives lacked maximum residue limits (MRL s) that allowed export of treated crops to certain important export markets. EPA also determined that growers needed time to tr ansition to effective strategies for appl ying the alternatives. Even with the mitigation, EPA determined that the risks were in excess of EPA's levels of concern for workers and non - target wildlife and that in the longer term, these risks merited the canc ellation of the remaining uses of AZM given that benefits, while still significant, were likel y to decline over the phase - out period as MRL s were established by other countries for many newer alternatives . Th is document identifies the supporting documents EPA will utilize in its risk - benefit anal ys is . In assessing the risks and benefits in 2012 , EPA has reviewed any new information received since the 2006 decision to determine the extent to which factors may have significantl y changed from the previous ri sk - benefit analy sis . There has been no new information submitted that would change EPA’s worker or eco logical risk pictures significantl y from the 2006 assessment . Therefore EPA continues to rely on the risk assessment conducted in 2006. EPA has also c ollected and considered an extensive body of information concerning the current benefits of AZM. Using this new information, EPA completed and added to the public docket a crop - by- crop anal ys is of the current grower impacts of maintaining the September 30 , 2012 cancellation date.2

These documents can be found at : http://www.regulations.gov under docket number EPA - HQ - OPP - 2009 - 0365. EPA will use th ese anal ys e s to make a determination whether to keep in place or amend the cancellation order that becomes effective September 30, 2012.