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Diazinon is a colourless to dark brown liquid that is practically odourless, does not burn easily, and does not dissolve easily in water. It is a nonsystemic organophosphate insecticide and acaricide that was formerly used to control cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and fleas in residential, non-food buildings. Diazinon was also used in flea collars for domestic pets in Australia and New Zealand. Due to health and trade risks, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has decided to ban diazinon treatments for livestock, with the final use permitted until September 2025.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is diazinon banned in Australia? | Yes, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has decided to ban diazinon treatments for livestock due to health and trade risks. |
| Date of ban | Final use permitted until September 10, 2025. |
| Products banned | Insecticidal cattle ear tags, mulesing wound dressing powder, spray-on sheep lice treatments, and flystrike powder. |
| Products still permitted | Products using diazinon can be used on lawns, in farm buildings, animal sheds, and on horses. |
| Reason for ban | The review of diazinon proposed that the use of pesticides be outlawed for use on livestock and crops due to concerns about the safety of residues and traces. |
| History of use in Australia | Diazinon has been used in flea collars for domestic pets in Australia and New Zealand. It has also been used in the northern cattle industry for insecticidal cattle ear tags to manage insect bites. |
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What You'll Learn
- Diazinon is an insecticide and acaricide used for pest control in agriculture, horticulture, and veterinary situations
- Diazinon was banned in the US in 2004 due to human health risks
- Diazinon is considered highly toxic to birds and was banned for use in large open areas
- Diazinon is a colorless to dark brown liquid, practically odorless, and does not burn or dissolve easily in water
- Diazinon treatments for livestock will be banned in Australia by September 2025 due to health and trade risks
Diazinon is an insecticide and acaricide used for pest control in agriculture, horticulture, and veterinary situations
Diazinon was one of the most widely used insecticides for household and agricultural pest control. It was used outdoors on lawns and gardens, indoors for fly control, and in pet collars to control fleas and ticks. Small amounts of diazinon applied outdoors can be carried indoors by air, dust, soil, and pets, creating the potential for exposure. Studies have shown that exposure to some organophosphate pesticides can result in long-term neurological problems, including organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (weakness, paralysis, and paresthesia in the extremities). However, reports of these symptoms following diazinon exposure are rare.
In 2000, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) announced an agreement to cancel all residential uses of diazinon. Indoor uses were cancelled in 2002, and outdoor uses were cancelled in 2004, leaving only agricultural uses. Current agricultural uses of diazinon are limited to selected crops, and diazinon products (other than cattle ear tags) are regulated as restricted-use pesticides.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has published its final decision on the reconsideration of diazinon, outlining which uses are supported and which are not. Diazinon is still used in Australia for pest control in various agricultural, horticultural, commercial, and veterinary situations.
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Diazinon was banned in the US in 2004 due to human health risks
Diazinon is a colourless to dark brown liquid, a thiophosphoric acid ester developed in 1952 by Ciba-Geigy, a Swiss chemical company. It is a nonsystemic organophosphate insecticide formerly used to control cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and fleas in residential, non-food buildings. Diazinon was heavily used during the 1970s and early 1980s for general-purpose gardening use and indoor pest control.
In 1996, President Clinton signed a tougher pesticide law, banning diazinon from use as an agricultural insecticide. Despite this, diazinon was still widely available in residential products, with 80% of people in the United States able to find it in their homes. However, in 2004, the US outlawed residential use of diazinon due to its potential to damage the nervous system, posing a significant risk to human health, especially to children. The decision to ban diazinon was made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) following Human Health Risk Assessments, which are conducted to estimate the nature and probability of harmful health effects in people exposed to pesticides.
Even at low levels of exposure, diazinon can lead to serious negative health effects. People are exposed to diazinon through food and drinking water, even if they do not live near areas where pesticides are sprayed. Symptoms of acute diazinon exposure can include nausea, dizziness, salivation, headache, sweating, lacrimation, and rhinorrhea. These symptoms can progress to vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, muscle twitching, weakness, tremors, and a lack of coordination. Some studies have also reported psychiatric side effects, including memory loss, confusion, and depression.
Despite the ban, diazinon may still be in use in certain US households, as it is still considered legal in 14 states, including California. In Australia, diazinon is used in flea collars for domestic pets and is a major component in the "Golden Fleece" brand sheep dip. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has published a final decision on the reconsideration of diazinon, cancelling some chemical product registrations that do not meet the statutory safety, trade, or labelling criteria.
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Diazinon is considered highly toxic to birds and was banned for use in large open areas
Diazinon is a colourless to dark brown liquid that is practically odourless, does not burn easily, and does not dissolve easily in water. It was developed in 1952 by Ciba-Geigy, a Swiss chemical company, to replace the insecticide DDT. Diazinon functions as an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, which breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) into choline and an acetate group.
Diazinon is considered highly toxic to birds, and its use in large open areas has been banned. In 1988, large quantities of mass bird kills were linked to Diazinon treatments in such areas, leading to its ban by the EPA. Diazinon was also targeted under the Clinton-Gore Administration campaign for the elimination of harmful pesticides, specifically older and riskier pesticides known as Organophosphates. Organophosphates, including Diazinon, have been found to affect the nervous system, with overexposure causing symptoms such as nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhoea, and general weakness.
In the United States, Diazinon was banned from use as an agricultural insecticide in 2004 due to human health risks. However, it is still approved for agricultural uses in 14 states, including California. In Australia, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has also taken steps to ban Diazinon treatments for livestock due to health and trade risks. The final use of Diazinon for livestock in Australia is permitted until September 2025, after which it will become illegal to possess or use these products.
Despite these bans, Diazinon is still used in certain flea collars for domestic pets in Australia and New Zealand, and it remains a major component in the "Golden Fleece" brand sheep dip. Some other uses of Diazinon that have been deemed safe by the APVMA include treatments for lawns, as long as no poultry or livestock graze the grass or eat the clippings, farm buildings, animal sheds, and horses.
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Diazinon is a colorless to dark brown liquid, practically odorless, and does not burn or dissolve easily in water
Diazinon is a chemical compound that was developed in 1952 by the Swiss company Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis) as an insecticide to replace the formerly dominant insecticide DDT. It is a colourless to dark brown liquid that is practically odourless and does not burn or dissolve easily in water.
Pure diazinon is a colourless oil. However, technical-grade diazinon, which contains ≥90% active ingredient, is an amber to brown liquid. Diazinon has a low vapour pressure, indicating that it is not expected to volatilize readily from water. Nonetheless, in some studies, up to 50% of the applied diazinon volatilized from the water. Diazinon has been detected in rain and fog at concentrations up to 2 μg/L and 76 μg/L, respectively.
Diazinon is an organophosphate compound that functions as an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor. This enzyme usually breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) into choline and an acetate group. However, when diazinon enters the body, it is oxidatively decomposed into diazoxon, an organophosphate compound that is much more poisonous than diazinon. The accumulation of ACh in the synaptic cleft and the conversion of diazinon to diazoxon can lead to adverse health effects, including nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhoea, general weakness, eye watering, drooling, a runny nose, loss of appetite, intense coughing, abdominal pain, and even stiffness in various muscles or paralysis.
Due to its toxicity, diazinon has been the subject of regulatory actions in various countries. In 1988, the phase-out of diazinon pest products began after large quantities of mass bird kills were linked to diazinon treatments in large open areas. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) subsequently banned its use in such areas. In 2004, the US also outlawed the residential use of diazinon, citing its ability to damage the nervous system, especially in children. Australia's regulatory body for pesticides, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), has also published its final decision on the reconsideration of diazinon, varying and affirming chemical product registrations based on safety, trade, and labelling criteria.
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Diazinon treatments for livestock will be banned in Australia by September 2025 due to health and trade risks
Diazinon is an organophosphorus insecticide and acaricide used for pest control in various agricultural, horticultural, commercial, and veterinary situations. It is a colorless to dark brown liquid that is practically odorless, does not burn easily, and does not dissolve easily in water.
In September 2024, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) announced that it would ban a number of chemical treatments for livestock using diazinon, with the final use permitted until September 2025. The decision was made after a public consultation period and is based on concerns about the health and trade risks associated with the use of diazinon.
The APVMA has confirmed the cancellation of the farm chemical, and sales and use of the cancelled products will be allowed until September 10, 2025. After this date, it will become illegal to possess or use them. The banned products include insecticidal cattle ear tags, mulesing wound dressing powder, spray-on sheep lice treatments, and flystrike powder.
Some diazinon uses will still be permitted, with the APVMA stating that products containing the chemical can still be used on lawns, in farm buildings, and on horses, as long as no poultry or livestock graze on the grass or eat the clippings.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has decided to ban diazinon livestock treatments. Sales and use of the cancelled products will be allowed until September 10, 2025, after which it will become illegal to possess or use them.
Diazinon is a colorless to dark brown liquid that is practically odorless, does not burn easily, and does not dissolve easily in water. It is a nonsystemic organophosphate insecticide formerly used to control cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and fleas in residential, non-food buildings.
Diazinon is considered to be of relatively high toxicity for vertebrates. Its greatest effect is through inhalation and skin contact. Symptoms of overexposure to diazinon include nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and general weakness.
Diazinon was banned due to health and trade risks, particularly the safety of residues and traces. In 1988, large quantities of mass bird kills were linked to diazinon treatments in large open areas, which led to its phase-out from the pest control market.
Yes, Talstar Granules are one of the best alternatives to diazinon currently available on the market.
