Fomesafen
Adverse Effects:

Blood
Body Weight Decrease
Bone
Cancer: Possible Human Carcinogen - LIVER
Liver
Stomach

Fomesafen, sodium
Adverse Effects:

Cancer: Possible Human Carcinogen - LIVER

Fomesafen
Environmental Effects:

Phototoxic Pesticide.

Potential ground water contaminant

Fomesafen, sodium
Environmental Effects:

As of Dec 2003: No data available

Not allowed to be used as an active ingredient after July 25, 2003, with the following exceptions:

France - Soybean, bean
Italy - Soybean, bean, pea
UK - Pea, bean, lupin .

Canada, Hungary, South Africa, Tanzania, UK, US

Canada:
Dry beans, Lima beans, Snap beans, Soybeans

In 2003, the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) listed both Fomesafen and the Sodium salt of fomesafen with a tolerance of 0.05 ppm on Soybean.

The 2004 CFR did not list Fomesafen, only the sodium salt.

US:
Soybean

Over the years EPA has granted several Emergency Exemptions for the use of "Fomesafen."

PAN Data for Fomesafen
PAN Data for Fomesafen, sodium 

Also Fomesafen, sodium: PAN Bad Actor for Acute toxicity

May 24, 2000 - Cancer Assessment Document. Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Potential of Diclofop-Methyl. (Second Review). Final Report. Cancer Assessment Review Committee, Health Effects Division, US EPA Office of Pesticide Programs. "There are eight diphenyl ethers that are structurally similar to diclofop-methyl. Of the chemicals, fomesafen sodium, haloxyfop-methyl (Verdict), oxyfluorfen, acifluorfen sodium, nitrofen, and lactofen were reviewed in the initial CPRC report. All of these chemicals induced liver adenomas and carcinomas in rats and/or mice..." Organofluorine pesticides highlighted in red 

Rationale for US EPA to add Fomesafen (CAS No. 072178-02-0)
to the Toxic Release Inventory

Decreased plasma cholesterol and triglycerides and increased liver weights (reversible at 7 days post-treatment) were observed at 50 mg/kg/day (only dose tested) when administered in the diet of rats for 4 weeks. In a 90-day rat study, dietary administration of 5 mg/kg/day (LOEL) produced alterations in lipid metabolism and increases in liver weight. The NOEL was 0.25 mg/kg/day. In a 26-week dog study, dietary administration of 25 mg/kg/day (LOEL) produced alterations in lipid metabolism and liver changes (changes not defined). The NOEL was 1 mg/ kg/day. Liver toxicity (increased liver masses, discolored hepatocytes, and pigmented Kupffer cells) was observed in a 2-year rat feeding study at 50 mg/kg/day (LOEL). The NOEL was 5 mg/kg/day. Metabolism studies have shown that fomesafen accumulates in the liver. EPA believes that there is sufficient evidence for listing fomesafen on EPCRA section 313 pursuant to EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(B) based on the available hepatic toxicity data for this chemical.
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.

September 12, 2007

Tolerance Actions. FINAL RULE. EPA is inceasing the following tolerances for fomesafen from 0.025 to 0.05 ppm in order to harmonize with the Canadian MRLs in support of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (see June 2007 proposal):

Bean, dry - 0.05 ppm
Bean, snap, succulent - 0.05 ppm

Proposed Tolerance Action. EPA is proposing to modify certain tolerances for fomesafen.

-- Currently, the tolerance in 40 CFR 180.433(a) for residues of fomesafen in/on bean, dry and bean, snap, succulent are each 0.025 ppm (May 3, 2006 (71 FR 25945) (FRL-8062-6). The Canadian
MRL is 0.05 ppm bean, dry and bean, snap, succulent. EPA proposes increasing the tolerances in 40 CFR 180.433(a) for residues of fomesafen in/on bean, dry and bean, snap, succulent from 0.025 to 0.05 ppm in order to harmonize with the Canadian MRLs in support of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Agency determined that the increased tolerances are safe; i.e., there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical residue.

-- A RED for fomesafen was not needed because it was registered after November 1, 1984 and not subject to reregistration eligibility, and its tolerances were reassessed prior to completion of a TRED, such that a RED for fomesafen was no longer needed because EPA made a safety finding which reassessed its tolerances according to FQPA standards.

Pesticide Registration Review; New Docket Opened for Review and Comment. Pesticide Registration Review; New Docket Opened for Review and Comment. As directed by FIFRA section 3(g), EPA is periodically reviewing pesticide registrations to assure that they continue to satisfy the FIFRA standard for registration--that is, they can still be used without unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. The implementing regulations establishing the procedures for registration review appear at 40 CFR part 155. A pesticide's registration review begins when the Agency establishes a docket for the pesticide's registration review case and opens the docket for public review and comment. At present, EPA is opening registration review for fomesafen. Comments must be received on or before June 26, 2007.

Pesticide Emergency Exemptions; Agency Decisions and State and
Federal Agency Crisis Declarations.
-- New York: EPA authorized the use of fomesafen on dry and snap beans to control broadleaf weeds; June 1, 2006 to August 30, 2006.
-- Pennsylvania: Specific: EPA authorized the use of fomesafen on snap beans to control broadleaf weeds; June 1, 2006 to August 30, 2006.

EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0073

and

Pesticide petition numbers (PP)

1E6228, 6E4653, and 9F5068

IR-4 & SYNGENTA. New Tolerance. PPs 1E6228, 6E4653, and 9F5068. Interregional Research Project No. 4 (IR-4) and Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. proposes to establish tolerances for residues of the herbicide sodium salt of fomesafen in or on food commodities

An analytical method using chemical derivatization followed by gas chromatography (GC) with Nitrogen-Phosphorus detection (NPD) has been developed and validated for residues of fomesafen in snap/dry beans, cotton seed and cotton gin byproducts, as well as for other crops. After homogenization, the samples are extracted with acidified acetonitrile. After addition of water and additional acid, the extract was submitted to liquid/liquid partition. The residue is transferred to dichloromethane followed by acetone and derivatized with iodomethane in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate. A silica gel column cleanup is done with dichloromethane:hexane as the eluent. The final extract is transferred to toluene and analyzed by GC/NPD. The limit of quantitation is 0.025 ppm.