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FRANKFORT,
Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Agriculture reminds
Kentucky retailers that diazinon must be taken off retail
shelves by the end of the year.
It
will be unlawful to sell diazinon outdoor non-agricultural
use products in the United States after Dec. 31.
This is part of an agreement between the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and diazinon registrants to phase
out and eliminate all residential uses of the insecticide.
The
Kentucky Department of Agriculture's pesticide regulation
branch is responsible for enforcing state and federal
pesticide laws and regulations. The branch will be charged
with ensuring that diazinon products are no longer on
retail shelves after the end of the year.
Consumers
may continue to use diazinon residential products according
to label directions, according to the EPA. If consumers
choose to discontinue use, they should contact the KDA's
Chemical Collection Program toll-free at 1-800-205-6543
or other state or local hazardous waste disposal programs
or their local solid waste collection service for information
on proper disposal. Consumers are advised not to dispose
of pesticides in sinks, toilets, storm drains, or any
body of water. The local government may recommend that
consumers take diazinon products to a household hazardous
waste collection site.
An
organophosphate pesticide, diazinon has been one of
the most widely used insecticides in the United States
for household lawn and garden pest control as well as
for indoor residential treatments. All indoor use product
registrations were canceled and retail sale ended on
Dec. 31, 2002. More information on diazinon is
available at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/diazinon.htm
.
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