Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain on a Request from the Commission Related to Ddt as an Undesirable Substance in Animal Feed

DDT was commercially introduced as an insecticide in the 1940s. Technical DDT contains 65 – 80 % p,p’-DDT. Other important constituents in the technical grade products are o,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDE and p,p’-DDD. The latter two compounds (along with their ortho, para analogues formed from o,p’-DDT) are also the major breakdown products in biological systems. Unless otherwise stated in this opinion, “DDT and related compounds” or sum of DDT refer to p,p’DDT, o,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDE, o,p’-DDE, p,p’-DDD and o,p’-DDD. The main insecticidal activity can be attributed to p,p’-DDT. Moreover, DDT is used as an intermediate in the production of the pesticide dicofol and may occur as a major impurity in the final product. DDT was banned in many European countries for most uses in the early 1970s. The use of DDT as a pesticide has been very restrictive since 1981 and banned since 1986 in the EU. Although being banned in most countries worldwide, DDT is still used for vector control especially in areas with endemic malaria, and extended use was recently recommended by WHO for indoor residual spraying to control malaria.