Ingredient Index
Is Terbufos banned in Europe?
Yes. Terbufos, a highly toxic organophosphate insecticide, is not approved in the EU. In the US it remains a restricted-use pesticide applied to corn and a few other crops.
What the EU does
Not approved. Terbufos was among the active substances the EU declined to include on its approved list, and member-state authorizations were withdrawn under the early-2000s review that cleared out many older organophosphates. It has no legal plant-protection use in the EU today.
Terbufos is acutely toxic; it is one of the more hazardous organophosphates by the numbers, and its cholinesterase-inhibiting action carries the same nervous-system risks as the rest of the class, with the added danger of very high acute toxicity to handlers.
Citation Terbufos not approved under Reg (EC) No 1107/2009; non-inclusion and withdrawal under Commission Reg (EC) No 2076/2002 (Directive 91/414/EEC review)
What the US does
Registered as a restricted-use pesticide. Terbufos was first registered in the US in 1974 and is applied as a soil insecticide, most heavily on corn, with smaller uses on sugar beets, sorghum, and bananas. It is one of the more commonly used organophosphate insecticides in the country.
Its restricted-use status means only certified applicators can buy and apply it, a reflection of its acute toxicity. But it stays legal and in the field in the US, while the EU has been without it for over two decades.
Citation US EPA registered (restricted-use), first registered 1974; terbufos IRED (EPA 738-F-01-015); 40 CFR 180.352 (tolerances)
Products that commonly contain it
Terbufos is a soil insecticide, so it sits behind crops rather than on labels:
- US field corn, its largest use
- Sugar beets and sorghum
- Bananas in some growing regions
- Imported crops screened at the EU border, where it is not allowed
What to look for on a label
As a restricted-use farm chemical, terbufos is not something you can spot on a package:
- Organic production does not use synthetic organophosphate soil insecticides
- Its main risk is to applicators and through residues, not through visible labeling
- In the EU, its absence reflects non-approval, not a labeling requirement
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Frequently asked questions
Is terbufos banned in Europe?
Yes, in effect. It is not approved as a pesticide in the EU and authorizations were withdrawn in the early 2000s, so it cannot be used on European crops.
What is terbufos used on in the US?
Mostly field corn, with smaller uses on sugar beets, sorghum, and bananas. It is a restricted-use pesticide, so only certified applicators can handle it.
Why is it restricted-use in the US?
Because it is acutely toxic. Restricted-use status limits who can buy and apply it, but it remains legal and in use.
Related ingredients
Related reading
Primary sources
- EU Pesticides Database: terbufos (not approved)
- US EPA terbufos IRED facts (EPA 738-F-01-015)
- Earthjustice: terbufos in the United States
Last reviewed August 25, 2026 · How we assign statuses