New Transport Insecticide Label Submitted for EPA Review

PHILADELPHIA — FMC Corporation announced late in 2005 that the US Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) granted an initial registration for acetamiprid to kill termite workers and/or winged reproductive forms of termites present at the time of application. The label states that this initial acetamiprid registration is for outdoor use only and will not provide structural protection nor substitute for mechanical alteration, soil or foundation treatment with termiticides. The use on this approved initial registration label is not for sole protection against termites, as it is not intended for use to eliminate termite infestations or protection against future infestations. This initial registration was submitted to facilitate future commercial acetamiprid based insecticide products and FMC does not plan to commercialize this product at this time.

This initial acetamiprid registration also includes use for general household pests such as ants (excluding public health pests), beetles, boxelder beetles, crickets, earwigs, firebrats, flies, millipedes, pillbugs, silverfish, springtails and sowbugs for outdoor use on/and around buildings as a perimeter spray within three feet of the structure where pests hide or forage. Attached is the label for this product.

New Transport insecticide label submitted for EPA review
Most recently, an application for registration was made for Transport insecticide - a new product to control subterranean termites. This pending registration is for a Transport insecticide product containing both acetamiprid and bifenthrin for pre and post construction termite uses as well as general household pest control. Bifenthrin has been registered since 1992 as a termiticide and has the longest average residual with 14 years in the four USDA Forest Service termiticide testing locations. This new Transport insecticide provides control of the following economically important species: Reticulitermes, Heterotermes and Coptotermes.

New Transport product excels in research and testing
Ongoing research at FMC and various universities is evaluating the pending new Transport product. These evaluations have been some of the most rigorous termite testing in the industry. Independent researchers conducted field-testing in “real life” situations using state-of-the-art termite tracking devices. Structures documented to have live subterranean termite infestations were treated with the pending new Transport product. Researchers observed termites dying some distance away from the area treated with Transport and ultimately the termites were eliminated from the structures.

In laboratory tests, both FMC and independent researchers followed strict protocols demonstrating that the new Transport product acts as a non-repellent and is effective at transferring among termites. One study indicated the two components in Transport, acetamiprid and bifenthrin, separate slightly in the soil. The bifenthrin bound to the soil where it was applied and the acetamiprid separated and feathered out slightly from the treated area. In another study, FMC data indicated that termites picked up and moved acetamiprid-treated soil particles and used them to line their tunnels.“This facilitates transfer of the active ingredient, which contaminates termite tunnels adjacent to treated structures,” says Jim Walter, Ph.D., Manager of Product Development for FMC.

These are just some of the data submitted to EPA that will be reviewed for the recently submitted Transport product registration application. FMC said interest in its new Transport product has been very high.