| PESTICIDE
BRIEFS (2/13/02)
CONTENTS: (1) EPA ORDERS TWO COMPANIES TO STOP SELLING UNREGISTERED ANTHRAX PESTICIDAL PRODUCTS TO THE PUBLIC EPA has ordered two companies to stop selling unregistered pesticides claiming to protect the public from anthrax and requested the companies voluntarily to recall these illegal products from the marketplace. The EPA orders were issued to Homeland Security Plus of Gilbert, Ariz., for the illegal sale of Biohazard Decontamination Solution, and to Testing Kits Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the illegal sale of EnviroFoam Easy DECON, also known as "EnviroFoam." Both unregistered products were marketed on the Internet. The companies have since removed the promotion for these products from their websites.  EPA has identified risk concerns for residents, including children, who contact treated surfaces in homes following indoor application of acephate. EPA also identified a risk of concern for young children playing on treated lawns. In order to address these concerns, Valent and the other technical registrants have notified EPA of their intent to formally request amendment of their registrations to delete these uses. Specifically, Valent requested that EPA amend all of its registered products to delete the use of acephate on residential indoor and turfgrass sites (except golf courses, sod farms, and spot or mound treatment for harvester and fire ant control). This Federal Register notice is available on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2001/November/Day-28/p29556.htm The National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (NPTN) has changed its name to the National Pesticide Information Center. It can be found on the web at: http://npic.orst.edu . The phone number remains the same: 800-858-7378. On January 16, 2002, EPA published a proposed rule to revoke 66 specific tolerances for residues of the insecticide nicotine. This pesticide is in the second priority group for tolerance reassessment. The 66 tolerances are proposed for revocation because all registrations for these pesticide uses have been canceled. The only remaining food uses for nicotine are cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes. The notice proposing these revocations is available at: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/January/Day-16/p628.htm . This site can also be reached from: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr . This site includes details about the registration status of nicotine and reasons for proposed revocation. Comments on these proposed tolerance revocations will be accepted until March 18, 2002, and must be submitted as described in the Federal Register notice. If EPA receives a request to retain a tolerance, they will publish a notice regarding data that must be submitted to demonstrate that the current safety standard is met and the schedule for submission of the data. Commodities containing pesticide residues not covered by a tolerance are considered to be adulterated and are subject to seizure. A tolerance must meet the current safety standard established under the Food Quality Protection Act if it is to be retained. Contact Whitney for help in making comments to EPA. EPA has received requests from the companies that distribute technical dimethoate to amend their manufacturing-use product registrations. In addition, the companies holding end-use registrations have asked EPA to cancel or amend their registrations for end-use products containing dimethoate to delete all uses with possible residential exposures. The residential uses proposed for cancellation are any use in or around a structure used as a residence or domestic dwelling or on any article or areas associated with such structures (e.g., home gardens) and any use in public or private buildings or structures (including recreational facilities, theaters, etc.) or articles or areas associated with such structures (e.g., landscaping and playgrounds). Agricultural uses proposed for cancellation are housefly treatments on farm buildings and structures, farm animal quarters, and manure piles. Dimethoate is a systemic organophosphate insecticide primarily used on a variety of field and orchard agricultural crops, and ornamentals. EPA intends to grant the requested cancellations
and amendments. The cancellation order will specify conditions for
sale and use of the products after issuance of the order. EPA anticipates
that the cancellation order would allow for 1-year use of existing stocks
after the effective date of the amendment or cancellation order.
The Federal Register notice providing details on this proposal is on EPA's
web site at:
EPA recognizes that dimethoate use on outdoor commercial ornamental tree, shrub and annual plant production areas is being supported by the technical registrants. While use on ornamentals in other settings is no longer being supported, outdoor commercial ornamental production areas may remain on dimethoate labels. EPA has received requests from three registrants to cancel certain products and delete several uses of disulfoton and naled. Disulfoton is an insecticide and acaricide primarily used on a variety of field grown agricultural crops, ornamentals, and Christmas trees. Bayer Corporation has proposed to delete certain crop uses from its disulfoton product labels, including dry beans, peas and lentils, poplars grown for pulpwood, sorghum, soybeans, tobacco, and triticale. Value Garden Supply, LLC wishes to voluntarily cancel two lawn and garden products containing disulfoton. Naled, also an insecticide and acaricide, is used primarily to control mosquitoes. Sergeant's Pet Products, Inc. has proposed to voluntarily cancel four flea and tick pet collar products containing naled. Registrants will be allowed to sell existing
stocks of affected disulfoton products for 12 months after the effective
date of cancellation. The naled registrant has requested that March
1, 2002, be the effective date of cancellation, and that sale and distribution
of existing stocks be allowed until December 31, 2002. EPA plans
to grant that request, and plans to allow people other than registrants
to sell, distribute, or use disulfoton and naled products until supplies
are exhausted.
On January 15, 2002, EPA published two Federal Register notices related to the pesticide benomyl. One notice is a final cancellation order, effective January 15, 2002, for products made by six companies. This order follows up on an October 12, 2001 publication of notice of receipt of cancellation requests from these companies. EPA received no public comments on this notice. Existing stocks may be sold by persons other than the registrants until December 31, 2002. In another notice, EPA proposed to revoke
all tolerances for residues of the fungicide benomyl, because this pesticide
is no longer registered for use in the U.S. EPA must receive any
comments on this proposal by March 18, 2002, identified by docket
number OPP-301201. If EPA receives comments expressing interest in
retaining any of these tolerances, EPA will not immediately revoke that
tolerance but will provide an opportunity for the parties to commit to
submitting data to support the tolerance. EPA is proposing expiration
dates for the tolerances to take into account the time needed for legally
treated commodities to pass through the channels of trade, based on the
expectation that stocks will be exhausted by December 31, 2003 and
the typical storage, processing, and distribution activities associated
with each commodity. These Federal Register notices are on EPA's
web site at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/January/Day-15/p958.htm
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EPA has completed an interim risk management decision document for terbufos. Actions to reduce risks associated with use of terbufos include establishing limitations on sales of terbufos, requiring buffers between treated areas and surface water or drain pipes in certain situations, and changing certain methods of application of the pesticide, as well as changes related to protecting workers. Presuming that the risk mitigation measures
are adopted, terbufos fits into its own risk cup. Terbufos is used
on corn sorghum, and sugar beets. There are no residential uses.
However, final risk decisions must include consideration of cumulative
risks of the OP’s. EPA is accepting comments on this document until
March
18, 2002. The docket number for submission of comments is OPP-
341399D. The Federal Register notice is available on EPA's web site
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/January/Day-16/p1121.htm
The public will have an opportunity to monitor and contribute to an on-line discussion by EPA's Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee, an advisory committee chartered by EPA to obtain advice and input from public stakeholders on pesticide issues. The electronic forum will be open for discussion from now until March 4, 2002. Public viewers who wish to submit comments will direct comments to an OPP moderator who will moderate the discussion, ensure that comments are placed in the public docket, and make them available for consideration by PPDC members. 1. HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE TO THE PPDCFORUM?
2. HOW DO I UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THE PPDCFORUM?
3. HOW DO I SEND (POST) AN EMAIL MESSAGE
TO THE PPDCFORUM MAILING LIST?
Americans for the first time can use a single toll-free telephone number to reach a poison control center anywhere in the nation. Callers dialing 1-800-222-1222 will be automatically linked to the closest poison center. IR-4 (Interregional Research Project No. 4) works to gain EPA-approved tolerances for safe and effective pest control products on specialty food crops such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, and others. IR-4 also develops data to assist in the registration of pest control tools for floral, forestry, nursery and turf crops. With funding and support from USDA (both CSREES and ARS), and State Agricultural Experiment Stations, IR-4 coordinates a grass roots effort to provide pest control alternatives compatible with minor crop integrated pest management programs. For more information about IR-4, go to: http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~ir4/ A fall symposium to propose expansion of the established EPA crop groups (40 CFR 180.41) will occur October 7-8, 2002 at the Hilton Crystal City at National Airport, 2399 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia. The goal is to include many orphan crops, both domestic and imported, within the established groups and subgroups. Several new crops groups and subgroups will also be proposed. These include oilseed and tropical crop groups as well as subgroups such as small grains and tropical edible peel crops. Harmonizing crop groupings worldwide will facilitate data exchange and the establishment of food residue tolerances for crop protection chemicals. Harmonization can advance regulatory efficiency and facilitate trade without lowering the level of health and environmental protection afforded by current U.S. laws and regulations. The Symposium will be held just prior to the 39th Annual IR-4 Meeting on October 9-10, 2002. For more information contact Prof. George Markle, markle@aesop.rutgers.edu. The work of IR-4 and its partners during 2001 has resulted in 543 chemical food use clearances, 296 ornamental clearances and 21 biopesticide food use clearances. The high rate of efficiency, particularly in the food use program is due in part to emphasis on reduced risk/safer chemistries that made up 77% of the 2001 residue projects. For more information contact Dr. Dan Kunkel, kunkel@aesop.rutgers.edu. Halosulfuron: Melon subgroup Imazamox: Legume vegetables
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