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Mercury Fungicides

Mercury fungicides are used in agriculture to protect seeds and plants from fungal diseases.

Mercury fungicides review

Status: Review Completed

In July 1992 the Australian Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Council (AAVCC) recommended revoking the clearances for mercury fungicides because of environmental concerns. The main concern lay in the persistence of mercury, which can result in it accumulating to unacceptable concentrations in soils, particularly where heavy and repeated applications are made.

The APVMA (formerly the NRA) cancelled the registration and associated label approvals for agricultural products containing mercury in August 1995, with a six-month phase-out period.

The only exception is the registration of a product (Shirtan Liquid Fungicide) for use on sugarcane, where its use is allowed to continue, providing that soil monitoring is undertaken to confirm that soil mercury levels do not exceed background levels.

APVMA Mercury fungicides archive

Title Date

Gazette Notice: Cancellation of registration of ag products containing mercury*

Sep 1995

Contact

For more information contact:

Chemical Review

Phone: +61 2 6210 4749

Fax: +61 2 6210 4874

Email: chemicalreview@apvma.gov.au

Product Search

Search the PUBCRIS database for registered products that contain mercury fungicides.

* Contact the APVMA for copies of this document.