News Archive
Sulfoxaflor: Documents
Sulfoxaflor Documents - Updated February 24, 2022- By Ellen Connett

The following are some, not all, of the documents dealing with the study, review, approval, and law suits of the insecticide Sulfoxaflor (CAS No. 946578-00-3). The product names for Sulfoxaflor are Transform and Closer. More documents will be added.

Date

Agency

Title
July 19, 2022

EPA

 The Environmental Protection Agency released a draft biological evaluation showing that sulfoxaflor is potentially putting 24 species of insects in jeopardy of extinction, including Karner blue butterflies and American burying beetles.
July 19, 2022

Center for Food Safety

  Press Release: EPA Finds New Insecticide Is Putting Over 100 Species in Jeopardy of Extinction
April 14 2022

EU

 EU decision to restrict bee-harming pesticide causes tension with US
Dec 6, 2021

Earth Justice

 Press Release: Court Rejects California’s Approval of Bee-killing Pesticide Sulfoxaflor
This release has links to California state docs
Dec 3, 2021

Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Alameda

Petitioners
V.
Respondents

Petitioners
POLLINATOR STEWARDSHIP
COUNCIL and AMERICAN
BEEKEEPING FEDERATION

Respondents.
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
PESTICIDE REGULATION and AAL
DILCINI, in his official capacity as
Director of Pesticide Regulation

Real Parties in Interest.
DOW AGROSCIENCES LLC,
CORTEVA INC., SISKIYOU COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
JAMES E. SMITH, in his official capacity
as Siskiyou County Agricultural
Commission, and DOES | through 10,
April 15, 2021

U.S. EPA, et al.

On Petition for Review of Final Agency Action of the
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Feb 16, 2021

Center for Food Safety, et al. Petitioners

Oral Arguments Brief
Dec 2, 2020

Pesticide Action Network Europe

Sulfoxaflor and flupyradifurone more toxic to bees than expected
This article has links to EU docs
Sept 3, 2020

Office of the Attorney General of the states of CA, HI, MD, MN, NJ, NY, NM, OR,VT, WA

AMICUS BRIEF OF THE STATES OF

CALIFORNIA, HAWAII, MARYLAND, MINNESOTA, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NEW MEXICO, OREGON, VERMONT, AND WASHINGTON IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONER
____________________

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
____________________
CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY, CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY,
Petitioners,
V.
ANDREW WHEELER, in his official capacity as Administrator; U.S.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
Respondents,
DOW AGROSCIENCES LLC,
Respondent-Intervenor.
POLLINATOR STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL, ET AL.,
Petitioners,
V.
ANDREW WHEELER, in his official capacity as Administrator; U.S.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
Respondents,
DOW AGROSCIENCES LLC,
Respondent-Intervenor.
____________________
POLLINATOR STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL, ET AL.,
Petitioners,
V.
ANDREW WHEELER, in his official capacity as Administrator
Oct 25, 2019 EPA Sulfoxaflor; Pesticide Tolerances. Final Rule. Federal Register.

Avocado, 0.15 ppm
Rice grain, 5 ppm
Rice hulls, 15 ppm

This regulation is effective October 25, 2019. Objections and requests for hearings must be received on or before December 24, 2019, and must be filed in accordance with the instructions provided in 40 CFR part 178 (see also Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION).
Aug 20, 2019 9th Circuit Court Center for Food Safety, et al v. Andrew Wheeler, et al.
Petition for Review of the orders of the EPA to grant “the unconditional registration for new uses of the active ingredient sulfoxaflor and amending the registration of existing uses to remove restrictions.” [see US EPA for July 12, 2019, below)
July 27, 2019 The National Law Review EPA Registers Long-Term Uses for Sulfoxaflor
July 22, 2019 Business Mirror (Australia) EPA restores use of pesticide opposed by beekeepers
July 12, 2019 Beyond Pesticides USDA Shuts Down Data Collection on Honey Bees
July 12, 2019 US EPA Decision Memorandum Supporting the Registration Decision for New Uses of the Active Ingredient Sulfoxaflor on Alfalfa, Cacao, Citrus, Corn, Cotton, Cucurbits, Grains, Pineapple, Sorghum, Soybeans, Strawberries and Tree Plantations and Amendments to the Labels
July 10, 2019 US EPA Ecological Risk Assessment for Section 3 Registration for Various Proposed New Uses
June 19, 2019 National Sorghum Producers Statement of their need for Sulfoxaflor.
June 17, 2019 US EPA Pesticide Emergency Exemptions: Agency Decisions and State and Federal Agency Crisis Declarations. These states received exemptions for use of Sulfoxaflor: AL, AR, CA, GA, KS, LA, MS, MO, TN, TX, VA
June 17, 2019 Center for Biological Diversity Trump EPA OKs ‘Emergency’ Use of Bee-killing Pesticide on 13.9 Million Acres
May 2, 2019 Mongabay Brazil: Bolsonaro administration authorizes 150+ pesticides in first 100 days
Oct 29, 2018 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
66(45):11902-11908		 Lethal Toxicity and Sublethal Metabolic Interference Effects of Sulfoxaflor on the Earthworm ( Eisenia fetida). Authors: Fang S, Zhang Y, You X, Sun P, Qiu J, Kong F.
Oct 17, 2018 Consumer Affairs Dow is trying to expand use of another pesticide linked to bee deaths
Sept 15, 2018 Agroecology and Rural Economics Research Corps New Sulfoxaflor Insecticide Harms Bees, by Doug Gurian-Sherman, Ph.D
Aug 15, 2018 Nature
561:109–112 .		 Sulfoxaflor exposure reduces bumblebee reproductive success, by Siviter H, Brown MJF, and Leadbeater E.
Aug 15, 2018 Nature An alternative to controversial pesticides still harms bumblebees, by Nigel E. Raine
Dec 18, 2017 Dow AgroSciences GF-2032 (Sulfoxaflor – Closer SC): Assessment of Effects on Development of the Brood and Adult Workers of the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) in a Semi-Field Tunnel Study After One Application on Buckwheat (F. esculentum).
Sept 30, 2016 Journal of Insect Science Impact of Feeding on Contaminated Prey on the Life Parameters of Nesidiocoris Tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) Adults. Authors: Wanumen AC, Sánchez-Ramos I, Viñuela E, Medina P, Adán Á.
Excerpt: “Metaflumizone and sulfoxaflor were classified as moderately harmful products because although the percentage of mortality was only 28 and 36%, respectively, both products caused a severe decrease in offspring production and longevity.”
May 12, 2016 US EPA Label for Sulfoxaflor insecticide Transform® WG.
For control or suppression of aphids, fleahoppers, plant bugs, stink bugs, whiteflies and certain psyllids, scales, and thrips in barley, Brassica (cole) leafy vegetables, bulb vegetables, canola (rapeseed), , fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables (except Brassica), leaves of root and tuber vegetables, low growing berry (except strawberry), okra, ornamentals (herbaceous and woody), pistachio, pome fruits, root and tuber vegetables, potatoes, small fruit vine climbing (except fuzzy kiwifruit), stone fruits, succulent, edible podded, and dry beans, tree nuts, triticale, turfgrass, watercress, and wheat.
May 12, 2016 US EPA Label for Sulfoxaflor insecticide Closer® SC.
For control or suppression of aphids, fleahoppers, plant bugs, stink bugs, whiteflies and certain psyllids, scales, and thrips in barley, Brassica (cole) leafy vegetables, bulb vegetables, canola (rapeseed), fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables (except Brassica), leaves of root and tuber vegetables, low growing berry (except strawberry), okra, ornamentals (herbaceous and woody), pistachio, pome fruits, root and tuber vegetables, potatoes, small fruit vine climbing (except fuzzy kiwifruit), stone fruits, succulent, edible podded, and dry beans, tree nuts, triticale, turfgrass, watercress, and wheat.
Nov 12,. 2015 US EPA Sulfoxaflor – Final Cancellation Order
Sept 11, 2015 Fluoride Action Network The Toxicity of Sulfoxaflor.
Excerpts from: Registration Decision for the New Active Ingredient Sulfoxaflor
Sept 11, 2015 Los Angeles Times Court revokes approval of insecticide, citing ‘alarming’ decline in bees
2015 Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) FAO-WHO Maximum Residue Levels for food commodities
Sept 10, 2015 9th Circuit Court Court’s decision on: Pollinator Stewardship Council vs U.S. EPA
“Because the EPA’s decision to unconditionally register sulfoxaflor was based on flawed and limited data, we conclude that the unconditional approval was not supported by substantial evidence. We therefore vacate the EPA’s registration of sulfoxaflor and remand.
March 2015 Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology Paper by Dow scientists (Terry C, Rasoulpour RJ, Knowles S, Billington R). 2015. Utilizing relative potency factors (RPF) and threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) concepts to assess hazard and human risk assessment profiles of environmental metabolites: A case study, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 71(2):301-317.
March 7, 2014 9th Circuit Court Brief for Respondent-Intervenor Dow AgroSciences LLC in Pollinator Stewardship Council s U.S. EPA.
Petition for review of an order of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Dec 6, 2013 9th Circuit Court Petitioners’ Opening Brief for Review of an Order of the United States EPA.
In this case, the largest beekeeping organizations in America and three commercial beekeepers (collectively, “Beekeepers”) challenge a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to approve a new insecticide called sulfoxaflor (s?l-f?ks-a-flor) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (“FIFRA”), 7 U.S.C. §§ 136-136y. Sulfoxaflor belongs to a category of powerful insecticides called neonicotinoids, and it is classified by EPA as “very highly toxic” to honey bees. The use of sulfoxaflor on millions of acres of farms and orchards nationwide will exacerbate a growing crisis in which about one-third of America’s honey bee colonies have collapsed each year since neonicotinoids first became prevalent in the mid-2000s. As a result of this catastrophic die-off, our food security now hangs in the balance.
Dec 6, 2013 9th Circuit Court Declarations in Support of Petitioners’ Opening Brief (see directly above).
August 2013 New Zealand EPA EPA STAFF EVALUATION AND REVIEW REPORT. Application for approval to import and manufacture GF-2032 for release.
July 2013 Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority Evaluation of the New Active Constituent Sulfoxaflor in the Product Transform.
June 26, 2013 US EPA §180.668 Sulfoxaflor; tolerances for residues.
(a) General. Tolerances are established for residues of the insecticide sulfoxaflor, including its metabolites and degradates, in or on the commodities in the table. Compliance with the tolerance levels specified is to be determined by measuring only sulfoxaflor (N-[methyloxido[1-[6-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pyridinyl]ethyl]-?4-sulfanylidene]cyanamide).
May 17, 2013 US EPA Sulfoxaflor; Pesticide Tolerances. Final Rule – also in pdf
March 2013 Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Sulfoxaflor New Active Ingredient Review
Sept 28, 2012 US EPA Sulfoxaflor; Pesticide Tolerances for Emergency Exemptions
Sept 26, 2012 US EPA Sulfoxaflor – New Active Ingredient Human Health Risk Assessment of Uses on
Numerous Crops.
Sept 14, 2012 US EPA Sulfoxaflor: Summary of Hazard and Science Policy Council (HASPOC). Meeting of April 26, 2012 : Recommendation on the need for a 28-day inhalation study.
2011 Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Toxicology of Sulfoxaflor.
Discussion of Metabolites:
X11519540 (sulfonyl metabolite) approximately two times more toxic than parent sulfoxaflor
X11579457
X11596066 (ethyl metabolite)
X11718922 (identified in the Australian report)
X11719474
X11721061