EPA UPDATE: Proposed
Tolerance Revocations
Subject: EPA UPDATE:
Date:
Thu, 14 Feb 2002 15:08:34 -0500
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of
California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
IN THIS UPDATE:
1) TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS PROPOSED FOR METHYL
AND ETHYL PARATHION
2) ACEPHATE INTERIM RISK MANAGEMENT DECISION
DOCUMENTS ISSUED
*********************************************
1) TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS PROPOSED FOR METHYL
AND ETHYL PARATHION
On
February 6, 2002
, EPA published a proposed rule to revoke 72 tolerances for residues of the
insecticides methyl parathion and ethyl parathion.
These pesticides are in the first priority group for tolerance
reassessment. The 72 tolerances are proposed for re- vocation because there are
no registered uses for methyl parathion or ethyl parathion on these commodities.
All uses of ethyl parathion have been canceled.
There are 25 remaining crop uses for methyl parathion; the 29 tolerances
associated with these uses are not proposed for revocation.
The notice lists the tolerances proposed for revocation and is available
on EPA's web site http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPAFR-CONTENTS/2002/
February/Day-06/contents.htm
EPA will amend 40 CFR 180.121 to list only the remaining
tolerances for methyl parathion and will create a new section, 40CFR 180.122, to
list the tolerances for ethyl parathion that expire on
December 31, 2005
. Comments on these proposed
tolerance revocations will be accepted until
April 8, 2002
, and must be submitted as described in the Federal Register notice, identified
by docket number OPP-301195. If EPA
receives a request to retain a tolerance, the Agency 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.
EPA believes that affected commodities should have cleared channels of
trade before the proposed effective dates of these tolerance revocations.
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.
(See www.epa.gov/pesticides/tolerance for status and other informa- tion
on tolerance reassessment.)
*************************************************
2) ACEPHATE INTERIM RISK MANAGEMENT DECISION DOCUMENTS
ISSUED
EPA has issued the interim risk management decision
documents for the organophosphate pesticide acephate.
Acephate is an insecticide currently registered for use on a variety of
field, fruit, and vegetable crops (e.g., cotton, tobacco, cranberries, mint,
sod); on ornamental plants both in greenhouses and outdoors (e.g., nonbearing
fruit trees, Christmas trees, and cut flowers); on golf courses; and in
food-handling establishments, hospitals, hotels and other public areas for pest
control. Based on risk assessments
conducted on this pesticide, EPA has concluded that acephate does not pose risk
concerns in food or drinking water. By
eliminating indoor residential uses and all turf uses except golf courses and
sod farms, the aggregate risk from acephate fits in its own risk cup.
Other risk mitigation measures will be implemented to reduce worker and
ecological risks below levels of concern for reregistration.
For example, for certain uses, some application methods will be
eliminated and application rates will be lowered.
Labeling to protect honey- bees will be required, as will labeling to
reduce potential spray drift. Details
of these and other risk mitigation actions are found in the full document.
Further mitigation of acephate uses may be necessary to
reduce risks from methamidophos residues that result from acephate applications,
since acephate forms methamidophos as a break- down product.
Once the methamidophos IRED is complete, the Agency will determine
whether the methamidophos ex- posure resulting from acephate use poses risk
concerns. Any potential further
mitigation will be discussed at the time the methamidophos IRED is released.
EPA is currently completing the cumulative risk assessment
for the organophosphorus pesticides and will complete the re- registration
decision for acephate after consideration of cumulative risks.
The Federal Register notice announcing the availability of this decision
can be found on EPA's web site at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2002/January/Day-
30/p2238.htm The risk assessment and
risk management documents for acephate are available at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/acephate.htm
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