On June 21, 2022, the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency issued the “Proposal for a Committee Resolution on Banning the Use of Carbendazim“, suspending the import, production, distribution and commercialization of the fungicide carbendazim, which is Brazil’s most widely used soybean product in soybeans. One of the most used fungicides in crops such as , corn, citrus and apples. According to the agency, the ban should last until the product’s toxicological re-evaluation process is complete. Anvisa began a re-evaluation of carbendazim in 2019. In Brazil, the registration of pesticides has no expiration date, and the last evaluation of this fungicide was carried out about 20 years ago. At the Anvisa meeting, it was decided to hold a public consultation until July 11 to hear from technologists, industry and others interested in participating in the re-evaluation of biocides, and a resolution will be published on August 8. One of the themes of the resolution is that Anvisa may allow industrial businesses and stores to sell carbendazim between August 2022 and November 2022.

Carbendazim is a benzimidazole broad-spectrum systemic fungicide. The fungicide has been used by farmers for a long time because of its low cost and its main application crops are soybeans, pulses, wheat, cotton and citrus. Europe and the United States have banned the product due to suspected carcinogenicity and fetal malformation.