Adverse Effects:

Ataxia
Bladder
Body Weight Decrease
Cancer: Possible Human Carcinogen URINARY BLADDER, LIVER, LUNG
Endocrine: Ovary/Estrus
Endocrine: Suspected Disruptor
Endocrine: Thyroid
Liver
Lung
Tremors/Convulsions
Tumor Promoter

Environmental Effects:

Very Highly Toxic to Fish and Zooplankton
Very persisten in aquatic sediment
Groundwater pollutant

Australia, Hungary, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, UK, US

EU:
Tea

Partial List:
Apple • Artichoke • Asparagus • Banana • Beans • Broccoli • Brussels sprouts • • Cabbage • Cauliflower • Cherry • Corn • Cotton seeds • Cucumber (including Gherkin) • Eggplant • Grape • Grapefruit • Hop • Japanese plum (including Prunes) • Lemon • Lime • Loquat • Melons • NATSUDAIDAI (whole) • Orange (including Navel) • Other berries • Other Citrus fruits • Other Vegetables • Peach • Pear • Potato • Quince • Rape seeds • Strawberry • Sugar beet • Tea • Tomato • UNSHU orange • Watermelon

-- Note high levels - 25 ppm - for Tea (Green, Black, Oolong, Wulung)

As of Feb 11, 2005, Permitted in or on 198 food commodities including:
Artichoke, Brassica, Cabbage, Caneberry, Cattle, Citrus Fruit & Oil, Corn, Cotton, Egg, Eggplant, Goat, Grape, Hogs, Horse, Lettuce, Milk, Peanut meat (hulls removed), Pepper (bell and non-bell), Poultry, Potato, Rapeseed, Sheep, Strawberry, Sweet Potato, Legumes, Cattle, Goat, Hog, Horse, Poultry, Sheep

Also, a tolerance of 0.05 ppm In or on all food/feed items (other than those covered by a higher tolerance as a result of use on growing crops) in food/feed handling establishments, such as restaurants, cafeterias, supermarkets, bakeries, breweries, dairies, meat slaughtering and packing plants, and canneries, feed handling establishments including feed manufacturing and processing establishments.

US
FMC, Baltimore,
Maryland 21226

Bifenthrin is used as a preconstruction termite barrier in Austrailia. See:
DeterMite - a preconstruction timber termiticide
Weyerhaeuser Material Safety Data Sheet: H2-F (Bifenthrin) Treated TJI Joist

Rationale for US EPA to add Bifenthrin to the Toxic Release Inventory

Tremors or head and forelimb twitching were noted in dogs, rats and rabbits exposed to various doses. NOEL values based on the appearance of tremors (often transient) ranged from 1 to 2.67 mg/kg/day. The oral RfD for bifenthrin was based on a 1 year beagle dog feeding study, in which the LOEL, based on tremors observed during weeks 15 to 29, was 3.0 mg/ kg/day and the NOEL was 1.5 mg/kg/day. The RfD based on this NOEL was 0.015 mg/kg/day. In a rat teratology study, an increased incidence of hydroureter (without hydronephrosis) was noted in fetuses at 2 mg/kg/day (LOEL). The NOEL was 1 mg/kg/day. EPA believes that there is sufficient evidence for listing bifenthrin on EPCRA section 313 pursuant to EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(B) based on the available neurological and developmental toxicity data. Aquatic acute toxicity values for bifenthrin include a bluegill 96- hour LC 50 of 0.35 ppb, a rainbow trout 96-hour LC 50 of 0.15 ppb, a sheepshead minnow LC 50 of 17.5 ppb, and a daphnid 48-hour EC 50 of 1.6 ppb. EPA believes that there is sufficient evidence for listing bifenthrin on EPCRA section 313 pursuant to EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(C) based on the available environmental toxicity data.

Ref: USEPA/OPP. Support Document for the Addition of Chemicals from Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Active Ingredients to EPCRA Section 313. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (1993). As cited by US EPA in: Federal Register: January 12, 1994. Part IV. 40 CFR Part 372. Addition of Certain Chemicals; Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Community Right-to-Know; Proposed Rule.

(*) Point of sampling in distribution: F = farmgate, R = retail, W = wholesale, O = other

(**) A: Administrative consequences have followed, e.g. prohibiting for sale, prosecutions, the levying of penalties or fines

These explanatory notes are cited at http://www.bvl.bund.de/lebensmittel/dateien/eg03-642d1_v2.pdf

Table 6-1. Trends of National Pyrethroid Use

Ref: September 2001. Draft Toxicological Profile for Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids. US Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Organofluorine pyrethroids discussed in the Profile: Bifenthrin (Type 1), Cyfluthrin (Type 2), Cyhalothrin (Type 2), Flucythrinate (Type 2), Flumethrin (Type 2), Fluvalinate (Type 2), Tefluthrin (Type 1).

Note from EC: The following 4 organofluorine pesticides were included in a list of 11 pesticides.

June 14, 2001 - Implementation of the Community Strategy for Endocrine Disruptors - a range of substances suspected of interfering with the hormone systems of humans and wildlife. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament. Commission of the European Communities, Brussels COM (2001) 262 final.
-More information available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/docum/01262_en.htm

This document presents a "priority list of substances for further evaluation of their role in endocrine disruption. During 2000, a candidate list of 553 man-made substances and 9 synthetic/natural hormones has been identified." Organofluorine pesticides in this list include: