Ingredient Index

Is Propargite banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes. Propargite, a miticide, is prohibited in the EU after being judged a high long-term risk to mammals. The US keeps it registered under names like Omite for use on fruit and other crops.

CAS: 2312-35-8 Also seen as: Propargite, Omite, Comite

What the EU does

Prohibited. The European Commission barred propargite from the EU market, and it is not on the approved list of active substances. The review flagged a high long-term risk to mammals, and with no approval it cannot be placed on the market or used in plant protection products.

Propargite is a sulfite-ester miticide, used to kill spider mites, and it also carries irritation and carcinogenicity concerns that have followed it through various national reviews. In the EU system, the non-approval settles the question.

Citation Propargite not approved under Reg (EC) No 1107/2009; non-inclusion under Directive 91/414/EEC (Commission decision withdrawing authorizations)

What the US does

Registered. Propargite remains a US EPA-registered miticide, sold under names such as Omite, used on crops including tree fruit, nuts, cotton, and corn to control mites. The EPA has kept tolerances in place while classifying it with restricted-use features for handler protection.

The result is a clean divergence on a specialty pesticide: Europe removed it over long-term mammalian risk, while the US kept it available for mite control across a range of crops.

Citation US EPA registered; propargite RED and tolerances (40 CFR 180.259)

Products that commonly contain it

Propargite is a farm miticide, present through use rather than on labels:

US tree fruit and nut crops
Cotton and corn
Sold under the Omite and Comite brand names
Imported produce screened at the EU border, where it is not allowed

What to look for on a label

As a crop-applied miticide, propargite is not readable from packaging:

Organic production does not use synthetic miticides like propargite
Washing reduces surface residues on treated fruit
In the EU, its absence reflects a prohibition, not a labeling rule

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Frequently asked questions

Is propargite banned in Europe?

Yes. It is prohibited in the EU and not on the approved list of pesticide active substances, after being judged a high long-term risk to mammals.

What is propargite used for?

It is a miticide used to kill spider mites on crops such as tree fruit, nuts, cotton, and corn.

Is it still used in the US?

Yes. It remains an EPA-registered miticide, sold under names like Omite.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed August 25, 2026 · How we assign statuses