This conclusion is forwarded in a health and environmental risk assessment which VKM has performed at request of The Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Talius is a new fungicide containing the new active substance proquinazid for use against powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) in cereals and grass seed.

Health risk assessment

Talius is found to have low acute toxicity by human inhalation, ingestion and by dermal exposure, but irritating to skin and may cause serious damage to the eyes. Animal exposure to the active substance proquinazid is found to induce thyroid and liver tumors at high doses.

It is uncertain to what extent these effects are relevant to humans. Estimates show low risk for operators wearing protection equipment during application.

Environmental assessment

VKM consider proquinazid to be persistent under prevailing Norwegian conditions and repeated annual application may cause accumulation in soil. There is a low potential for groundwater contamination from leaching of proquinazid and its metabolites.

VKM also consider that there are minimal risks for toxic effects of proquinazid to terrestrial organisms, sediment dwelling organisms, aquatic plants, and algae with the proposed application regime.

For fish and invertebrates minimal risks are calculated provided a three meter buffer zone from treated area to surface water.

The risk assessment

VKM´s Panel on plant protection has prepared the risk assessment, which is based on the documentation submitted by the pesticide notifier and international literature and methodology.

The assessment will be included by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority as a basis for regarding an application for registration of the fungicide in Norway.