MPs urge banning OP from dips

29 April 1999

MPs urge banning OP from dips

By Jonathan Riley

A CROSS-party group of MPs has stepped up its demands for the organophosphate (OP) ingredient Diazinon to be banned from sheep dips.

The call follows the news that Diazinon has been withdrawn from use as an active ingredient in horticultural insecticides.

The Pesticide Safety Directorate revoked approval for Diazinon to be used to kill flies in mushrooms after the makers chose not to supply product safety information to a PSD review.

But the PSD decision does not affect the use of Diazinon in sheep dips, according to John Horton of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

The decision has outraged anti-OP campaigners who claim hundreds of farmers have been poisoned after coming into contact with OPs.

Paul Tyler, MP, chairman of the House of Commons all-party OP group, pledged to tackle the government over the apparent disparity between horticultural and veterinary safety.

The OP Information Network, which supports people who claim to have suffered OP poisoning, said the use of diazinon in sheep dips now be closely scrutinised.

Elizabeth Sigmund of OPIN said it was “utterly illogical” that animals could be treated with certain OPs when the same compounds could not now be used on plants.

The Ministry of Agriculture declined to comment on the situation.

A spokesman for Sylvan, the makers of Diazinon, said it had not supported the PSD review for commercial reasons and maintained its product was safe.