EPA LISTS CANDIDATE PESTICIDES FOR
FY2001 RISK
MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
EPA is reviewing older pesticides (those initially registered prior to
November 1984) as required by FIFRA to ensure that they meet current
scientific and regulatory standards. This reregistration process
considers
the human health and ecological effects of pesticides and results in
actions to reduce risks that are of concern. EPA also is reassessing
tolerances to ensure that they met the safety standard established by
FQPA. When EPA completes its review of a pesticide for reregistration
or
tolerance reassessment, the Agency issues a risk management decision
document known as a RED, an IRED, or a TRED. EPA has prepared a
fact sheet "RED, IRED, and TRED Candidate Pesticides for FY2001"
defining these acronyms and listing the pesticides for which risk
management decisions are being considered this fiscal year. The fact
sheet can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/candidates.htm
PRELIMINARY RISK ASSESSMENT AVAILABLE FOR ATRAZINE
EPA has posted the preliminary human health risk assessment for
atrazine at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/atrazine/ .
Comments on this assessment will be taken until April 16, 2001. While
exposure through food is not of concern, the assessment indicates
exposure to children through drinking water may be of concern in some
areas, as well as exposure from treated lawns. Atrazine is the most
commonly detected pesticide in ground water and surface water. EPA's
Cancer Assessment Review Committee classified atrazine as "Not Likely
to be Carcinogenic to Humans."
EPA will issue a preliminary ecological risk assessment for atrazine within
the next several weeks for public comment. The Agency will revise
both
the human health and ecological risk assessments, and will consider ideas
from the public on risk management strategies in developing final
decisions on atrazine. EPA's Office of Water also plans to
use the Office
of Pesticide Programs' human health evaluation of atrazine to reevaluate
drinking water advisories and standards.
EPA is interested in obtaining additional data to further refine the human
health risk assessment for atrazine. This includes percent crop treated
information or residue data from food processing studies, as well as other
pertinent data. Comments addressing the Agency's risk assessment
methods and assumptions as applied to atrazine also would be useful.
Information on submitting comments is included in the Federal Register
notice at
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2001/February/Day-14/p3844.htm
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RISK MANAGEMENT COMMENTS REQUESTED FOR DIAZINON
EPA is taking risk management ideas on diazinon until April 2, 2001. On
December 5, 2000, EPA announced a voluntary agreement with
registrants to terminate all indoor residential and indoor non-residential
uses (except use in mushroom houses), and phase out and cancel all
outdoor residential uses (all outdoor non-agricultural uses) over the next
few years. Approximately one third of the agricultural uses of diazinon
also
are being canceled as a result of this agreement. These actions reduce
exposure to children, workers, birds and other wildlife, drinking water
resources, and the environment. The revised risk assessments
incorporate the risk reduction measures announced on December 5.
Information about the diazinon agreement also is available on the OPP
web site
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/diazinon.htm. The current public
participation opportunity was announced in a Federal Register notice
(Volume 66, No. 21, Pages 8400-8401), which is available on the EPA web
site at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
EPA has posted the revised risk assessment documents for this chemical
on the OPP web site (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/) and has made
the risk assessment documents available in the OPP docket. Information
on visiting the docket or contacting the docket by telephone (703-305-5805)
or by mail is included in the Federal Register notice. EPA must receive
comments on risk management issues by April 2, 2001, identified by
docket number OPP-34225C.
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NEW ACTIVE INGREDIENT. NEW DELETIONS
On February 21st, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the
registration of products containing the previously unregistered active
ingredient Flucarbazone-Sodium. These (end-use) products include:
Everest 70% Water Dispersible Granular Herbicide
Everest 70% Water Dispersible Granular Herbicide in Water-Soluble
Packets
Everest is labeled to control green foxtail and wild oats in spring, durum
and winter wheat. The registration granted to Bayer for Everest is
conditional. Products may be used during the conditional registration
period. However, the registrant must submit further data, must show
that
use of the product will not cause unreasonable adverse effects, and that
the use of the product is in the public interest.
On February 7th the Environmental Protection Agency announced that
Wright Webb Corporation has submitted a request to remove certain uses
from the labels of it's Pyrethrin & Rotenone premix product, Pyrellin
E.C.
These uses include: Barns, milking parlors, milk rooms, dairies, poultry
houses, harvested tomatoes, fruit, and grain.
The EPA has authorized Wright Webb Corporation to sell or distribute (to
retailers) products with the old labeling (labels that show instructions
for
use on the above commodities) for 18 months after the approval of the
label revision.
On February 7th the Environmental Protection Agency announced that
Bayer Corporation has submitted a request to remove four different uses
from the labels of it's Disulfoton compounds (Di-Syston 68% Concentrate,
Di-Syston 15%, Di-Syston 8).
These uses include: corn, oats, pecans and tomatoes. The EPA has
authorized Bayer to sell or distribute (to retailers) products with the
old
labeling (labels that show instructions for use on the above commodities)
for 18 months after the approval of the label revision.
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To reduce risks to handlers and workers:
* Reduce seasonal maximum applications for all crops to 8 per crop and
incorporate all ground-boom soil treatments by water or mechanical
means.
* Reduce maximum aerial application rate to 1.0 lb ai/A for foliar
applications on all crops except cotton.
* Reduce the maximum chemigation application rate to 2.0 lb ai/A for all
crops except cotton.
* Reduce maximum soil application rate to 4.0 lb ai/A for all crops, except
mint and pineapple, which must be reduced to 2.0 lb ai/A.
* Require enclosed cockpits for aerial applications.
* Maintain personal protective equipment for all uses (baseline and
coveralls, chemical resistant shoes, socks, chemical resistant gloves,
chemical resistant apron, head gear for airblast and an organic vapor
respirator).
Additionally, the registrant has decided to voluntarily cancel the following
uses:
* Seed piece dip (yams).
* Soybean use
* Soil broadcast treatment for cotton.
Some major Delaware crops for which Oxamyl is currently labeled include:
Apple (and apple thinning)
Nonbearing Fruit (Apple, Cherry, Peach, Pear)
Pear
Cantaloupe
Pumpkin
Potato
Tomato
Soybean (to be cancelled)
Propetamphos
On December 15th, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the
availability of an Interim Re-Registration Eligibility Decision for the
organophosphate insecticide Propetamphos (used to control cockroaches,
flies ants, ticks, moths, fleas and mosquitoes). Registrants have
until the
end of January 2001 to submit revised labels that reflect the following
new
restrictions.
To reduce non-occupational risks to persons re-entering treated areas
(post application risks):
* All residential uses will be canceled.
* Uses in structures that children and the elderly occupy (such as or
including homes, schools, day-cares, hospitals, nursing homes) except
areas of food service as described below will be cancelled.
* Spot, broadcast and termiticide treatments will be cancelled.
* Treatment methods will be restricted to crevice treatments only (as
defined by the EPA in OPPTS 860.1460 Food Handling).
To reduce dietary (food) risks:
* For use in food service establishments, all food must be either covered
or removed prior to the area being treated.
To reduce worker risks:
* Reduce the maximum rate of dilution from 1.0% to 0.5% active ingredient
solution.
* Applicators must wear personal protective equipment consisting of a
long-sleeve shirt, long pants, shoes and socks, and chemical resistant
gloves.
* Only protected handlers may be in the area during application.
ETRIDAZOLE
On December 20th, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the
availability of a Re-Registration Eligibility Decision for the tiazole
fungicide
Etridazole (Terrazole). The compound is used as a seed treatment,
on
ornamental plants by horticultural nurseries, interiorscapes and golf
courses.
Registrants have agreed to make the following label changes to products
containing Etridazole:
All end-use product labels registered for use on golf course turf must
state explicitly that use on fairways is prohibited.
Application by hand held broadcast spreader (belly-grinder),
push-type spreader, power dust blower and dispersal by hand is
prohibited. As a result, the granular end-use product registered
for
golf course use will be cancelled.
The maximum application rate for golf course tees and greens may
not exceed 3.8 pounds active ingredient per acre (lbs ai/A) per
application. The maximum amount applied to golf course tees and
greens may not exceed 9.6 lbs ai/A/year.
In addition to these immediate changes, the EPA and registrants are
currently considering other measures including:
Increased personal protective equipment requirements for all uses
except in furrow cotton treatments.
The requirement of closed systems to be used for seed treatments.
Reduction in maximum use rates for remaining granular products.
A fact sheet that outlines the specifics of these proposed requirements
is
available. EPA is soliciting comments on these proposed actions.
A
notice of how to submit comments (including electronic submissions) to
the EPA is available .
MALATHION
EPA is taking comments on risk management for malathion until February
12, 2001. Such comments could address ideas about how to manage
dietary, occupational, or ecological risks on specific malathion use sites
or
crops across the United States or in a particular geographic region of
the
country. To address dietary risk, for example, commenters may choose to
discuss the feasibility of lower application rates, increasing the time
interval
between application and harvest, modifications in use, or suggest
alternative measures to reduce residues contributing to dietary exposure.
For occupational risks, commenters may suggest personal protective
equipment or technologies to reduce exposure to workers and pesticide
handlers. For ecological risks, commenters may suggest ways to reduce
environmental exposure, e.g., exposure to birds, fish, mammals, and other
non--target organisms.
DATES: Comments, identified by docket control number OPP-34223B in
the subject line on the first page of your response, must be received by
EPA on or before February 12, 2001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Overstreet, Special
Review and
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8068; e-mail
address: overstreet.anne@epa.gov.
EPA ISSUES REPORT ON TRENDS IN PROTECTING CHILDREN'S
HEALTH
On January 8, 2001, EPA announced results of an assessment of trends
in environmental factors that may affect the health and well-being of
American children. The report, "America's Children and the Environment:
A First View of Available Measures," shows that, while there have been
improvements, formidable challenges exist in reducing risks from
environmental factors.
"Children are among the most vulnerable groups to environmental threats.
We especially are concerned about such issues as exposure to lead and
pesticides and rising incidents of childhood asthma," EPA Administrator
Carol Browner said.
The report presents quantitative measures of trends in environmental
contaminant levels in air, water, food and soil; concentrations of
contaminants in children's bodies; and, childhood diseases that may be
influenced by environmental factors. The full report is available
at:
www.epa.gov/children/indicators
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