To: Golf Course, Turfgrass, and Landscape Industries:
Here is an update on the use of MSMA.
On March 27, 2013, EPA had issued an announcement in the Federal Register, Vol. 78, No. 59 (See Attachment MSMA Canc 3.27.13) to notify registrants, users, and others that they were recalling the cancellation of MSMA for use on sod farms, golf courses, and highway rights-of-way and the restriction imposed on any existing stocks.
The reason for the recall was because EPA prematurely issued the cancellation order on MSMA before the completion of a scientific peer-review report on the mode of action on the carcinogenic effects of inorganic arsenic. EPA plans to use the peer-review report from the National Academy of Sciences which is scheduled to be completed in late 2015 for its final decision on MSMA. Should EPA decide to cancel the use of MSMA, then companies (excluding the registrant) will have at least six months to sell and distribute any existing stocks and users will have at least one year to use these products based on its labeling.
In summary:
- If your MSMA label has an end-use date of December 31, 2013; then that is the last day in which that product can be legally used.
- However, to avoid this restriction, some registrants (companies) have excluded the end-use date, which will allow you to continue using MSMA until EPA renders a final decision (possibly sometime after 2015) following their review of the peer-review report. Therefore, if you are planning to purchase MSMA, make sure that it does not have an end-use date on its label.
In addition, EPA stated that existing stocks containing MSMA in people’s possession as of December 31, 2010 which is labeled for residential; forestry; non-bearing fruit and nuts; bearing and non-bearing citrus; bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass grown for seed; drainage ditch banks; railroad, pipeline, and utility rights-of-way; fence rows; storage yards; and similar non-crop areas and products containing DSMA, CAMA, cacodylic acid and its sodium salt can be used until exhausted, provided that users comply with its pesticide label.
I would like to thank Lance Kobashigawa, Environmental Health Specialist, Hawaii Department of Agriculture Pesticides Branch notifying me on EPA’s update and for reviewing this document.
Norman M. Nagata
Extension Agent (Commercial Landscape, Turfgrass & Ornamental Nursery)
University of Hawaii, Cooperative Extension Service
310 Kaahumanu Ave., Bld. 214; Kahului, Maui, HI 96732
808-244-3242 x230 nagatan@ctahr.hawaii.edu