Pesticides label information requirements

People infected usually experience only mild flulike symptoms, but West Nile virus can result in life-threatening encephalitis or meningitis. DEET is the most popular pesticide used as a repellent for humans, with several hundred products containing DEET available in the United States. Because it is a pesticide, products containing DEET are required to be labeled with information concerning the method of application, directions for medical attention, list special precautions for children, and the percent DEET in the product. DEET is still available at 100% strength in the United States, but Canada bans formulation that are more than 30% and various groups have recommended that this standard be used in the United States. 

Implementing GHS does not change most aspects of the pesticide management. It does not affect supplemental information required on labels such as directions for use or additional hazard information that does not contradict or detract from GHS label requirements. It also does not impact testing methods for health and environmental hazards, data requirements, the scope of hazards covered, policies governing the protection of Confidential Business Information, or risk management measures. 

The list of criteria is very long and requires in many cases more knowledge than available on the labels or in published documents. A critical area in this respect is the degradation of chemicals down to a level below 10 ppb, which is usually not studied or published for normal registration of pesticides. In order to obtain this information we sometimes need close contacts with agrochemical companies and an exchange of possibly confidential information on active substances and their metabolites. 

Updating should be carried out promptly on receipt of the information that necessitates the revision. The competent authority may choose to specify a time limit within which the information should be revised. This applies only to labels and SDS for products that are not subject to an approval mechanism such as pesticides. In pesticide labelling systems, where the label is part of the product approval mechanism, suppliers cannot update the supply label on their own initiative. However when the products are subject to the transport of dangerous goods requirements, the label used should be updated on receipt of the new information, as above. 

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