Chemical manufacturer, Rust-Oleum Australia Pty Ltd, is pulling all stocks of Zinsser Mould Stop Primer from the market after a compulsory recall notice from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) was upheld by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).
In October 2016, the APVMA issued the recall notice for the unregistered product, Zinsser Mould Stop Primer. Rust-Oleum then sought an appeal of the decision with the AAT.
During its review, the tribunal ordered a stay on the recall and the product continued to be sold in stores.
In November 2017, the AAT handed down its decision supporting the APVMA’s compulsory recall.
APVMA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Parker, said the regulator was pleased the recall was going ahead after being stalled during a year-long appeal by the manufacturer.
“Rust-Oleum must stop supplying the product to any person immediately,” Dr Parker said.
“They must also contact all current and previous stockists and suppliers to arrange the return of all product on the shelves.
“As the regulator, we need to be assured that products in the market are safe and effective and for those that meet the legal definition of an agricultural product, it means they’ve been through our scientific assessment and registration processes.
“Zinsser Mould Stop Primer meets the definition of an agricultural product. The company should have allowed us to properly assess the product for registration, but it didn’t and so we took action.
“It’s disappointing that Rust-Oleum’s appeal led to an unregistered product remaining on the market for over a year.”
Consumers who have bought Zinsser Mould Stop Primer are advised to contact the retailer they purchased the product from for further information about the recall and returns.
The APVMA publishes information about compulsory and voluntary recalls on our website at apvma.gov.au.
Learn more about voluntary and compulsory recalls.