EPA Pesticide Program Update
from EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs 12/09/04
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
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IN THIS UPDATE:
Captan Amended RED Available for Comment; Cancer
Classification Changed
In a Federal Register notice published on November 24, 2004,
EPA announced the availability of an Amendment to the 1999
Captan Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) and opened
a public comment period, closing January 24, 2005, on these
changes. In addition, the Agency announced the results of its
reevaluation of captan's cancer classification. This reevaluation
does not amend or change the conclusions of the Captan RED.
First registered in 1951, the fungicide captan currently is used
to control diseases on orchard crops, ornamentals, and turf,
and also is used for seed treatments and as an in-can
preservative in adhesives and paint. Captan is severely
irritating to the eyes and until recently was classified as
a probable human carcinogen.
In the Amendment to the Captan RED, EPA has modified
certain captan labeling requirements in response to public
comments and new data submitted by an industry task force.
These modifications strengthen the protections for workers
regarding eye irritation, change restricted entry intervals,
and change some uses (see the RED amendment for details).
EPA also has changed captan's cancer classification, based
on new data submitted by the Captan Task Force (CTF).
In September 2003, a Peer Review Panel of outside experts
reviewed the captan cancer mode of action data and
concluded that captan acted through a non-genotoxic
threshold mode of action. The new cancer classification
reflects the Agency's conclusion that captan is a potential
carcinogen only at prolonged high doses that are
significantly greater than those likely to be consumed in
the diet or encountered in occupational or residential
settings. The Agency has concluded that captan is not
likely to be a human carcinogen or to pose cancer risks
of concern when used in accordance with approved
product labeling.
Additional information on the cancer classification
change is available in the
Federal Register notice on EPA's Web site
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-
PEST/2004/November/Day-24/p26083.htm . The
Amendment to the 1999 Captan RED is available
in the captan docket or EDOCKET #OPP-2004-0296,
or on the Agency's reregistration status web page,
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm.
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For information about ongoing activities in the
Office of Pesticide Programs, visit our homepage
at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
Or call or write us directly at:
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Office of Pesticide Programs (7506C)
US Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-2403
703-305-5017