Available Resources for Schools; Reassessment of Non-Contributing OPs; Tolerance
Revocations Proposed for Certain Uses of 23 Pesticides; and Asthma
Public Awareness Month
EPA Pesticide Program Updates
from EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs 05/09/02
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
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IN THIS UPDATE:
1) EPA SUPPORTS IPM IN SCHOOLS WEEK BY HIGH-
LIGHTING AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS
2) EPA REASSESSES NON-CONTRIBUTING
ORGANOPHOSPHATE TOLERANCES
3) TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS PROPOSED FOR
CERTAIN USES OF 23 PESTICIDES
4) EPA MARKS WORLD ASTHMA DAY AND ASTHMA
PUBLIC AWARENESS MONTH
(Environmental News 5/7/02)
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1) EPA SUPPORTS IPM IN SCHOOLS WEEK BY HIGH-
LIGHTING AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS
In support of IPM in Schools Week (May 5-11), EPA is
announcing the availability of resources to help schools learn
more about IPM and how to start an IPM program. For a listing
of resources, visit:-
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm/brochure/more_info.htm
School IPM programs employ common-sense strategies to
reduce sources of food, water, and shelter for pests in school
buildings and grounds. IPM programs take advantage of all
pest management strategies, including the judicious, careful use
of pesticides when necessary.
IPM in Schools Week is sponsored by the IPM Institute of
North America in an effort to raise public awareness of IPM.
The group has planned a national series of educational activities
about IPM in schools and classrooms during the week. For
more information, visit :-
www.ipminstitute.org/schoolipmweek.htm
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2) EPA REASSESSES NON-CONTRIBUTING
ORGANOPHOSPHATE TOLERANCES
As part of its review of organophosphate and other pesticide
tolerances under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA),
EPA has identified the first group of organophosphate tolerances
that do not contribute to risk. EPA considers these tolerances
reassessed and is requesting public comment on its approach to
identifying other non-contributors. The 275 organophosphate non-
contributor tolerances in this first group make at most a negligible
contribution to the cumulative risk from the organophosphate
pesticides. Divided into four categories, these tolerances result in
minimal or no detectable residues in food and are expected to
have negligible effects through drinking water. They therefore
meet the FQPA safety standard in section 408(b)(2) of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and can be considered
reassessed. EPA discusses the basis for this approach to
reassessing selected organophosphate tolerances in a Federal
Register notice that will be published shortly and lists the re-
assessed non-contributor tolerances. In addition, since
additional tolerances will be appropriate for reassessment
based on this type of approach, EPA will be accepting public
comment for 30 days from the date of publication of the
Federal Register notice on its approach for identifying other
non-contributors. The docket number for these comments is
OPP-2002-0060. The description of this tolerance reassess-
ment approach and a listing of the reassessed non-contributor
tolerances (as well as additional information about individual
and cumulative OP risk assessments) will be available May 10
on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/cumulative
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3) TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS PROPOSED FOR
CERTAIN USES OF 23 PESTICIDES
On April 15, 2002, EPA published a proposed rule to revoke
153 specific tolerances for residues of 23 pesticide chemicals:
acephate, amitraz, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, cryolite, disulfoton,
ethalfluralin, ethion, ethoprop, fenthion, fluvalinate,
methamidophos, metribuzin, oxamyl, phorate, phosalone,
phosmet, pirimiphos-methyl, profenofos, propiconazole,
tetrachlorvinphos, thiram, and tribufos. These tolerances are
being revoked because they are either no longer needed or are
associated with food uses that are no longer current or
registered in the United States. Some of these proposed
revocations are based on recommendations made during the
reregistration decision process. Information on the specific
tolerances proposed for revocation and the reasons is available
in the Federal Register which is available on EPA's web site
www.epa.gov/fedrgstr). (See www.epa.gov/pesticides/tolerance
for status and other information on tolerance reassessment.)
Comments on these proposed tolerance revocations and other
changes will be accepted until June 14, 2002, and must be
submitted as described in the Federal Register notice. If EPA
receives a comment within the 60-day period that indicates
interest in retaining a tolerance, EPA will not proceed to revoke
the tolerance immediately. EPA will take steps to ensure the
submission of any needed supporting data. A tolerance must
meet the current safety standard established under the Food
Quality Protection Act if it is to be retained.
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4)EPA MARKS WORLD ASTHMA DAY AND ASTHMA
PUBLIC AWARENESS MONTH
(Environmental News 5/7/02)
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency marked World
Asthma Day and Asthma Awareness Month at George Mason
Elementary School in Alexandria, Va., by recognizing the efforts
to fight childhood asthma and raise awareness of the disease that
affects approximately 15 million people of all ages and races and
4.8 million children.
"Although there is no known cure for asthma, there are simple
steps you can take today to reduce your exposure to these
triggers and help prevent an asthma attack" said EPA Administrator
Christie Whitman. "World Asthma Day is an excellent opportunity
to reach out to parents, school nurses and teachers and urge them
to learn more about prevention and ways to protect children from
asthma attacks."
Asthma has reached epidemic proportions in the United States.
While 15 million people are affected, of particular concern is the
growing number of children with asthma. Since 1980, the largest
increase in asthma cases has been in children under the age of five.
Asthma attacks cause one third of all pediatric emergency room
visits. Asthma is also the fourth most common reason for pediatric
physician office visits, and is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism accounting for approximately 10 million school days
missed each year.
In response to these alarming statistics, and in an effort to raise
public awareness of the risks Americans face living with asthma,
the EPA has several programs that are aggressively stepping up
the fight against childhood asthma.
The EPA presented several awards today at George Mason
Elementary School in Alexandria, Va. The awardees included the
PBS television show ARTHUR« produced by WGBH in Boston,
which received EPA's National Environmental Asthma Educator
Award; Kim Gosselin, the author of "Taking Asthma to School,"
received EPA's National Environmental Asthma Writers Award;
and Robin Wallin, George Mason Elementary school nurse, who
received EPA's World Asthma Day Recognition Award.
President Bush's Clear Skies Initiative seeks to address air
pollutants that impact respiratory illnesses, including asthma.
The proposal would set mandatory caps that would dramatically
reduce power plant emissions of sulfur dioxides (SO2), nitrogen
oxides (NOx) and mercury. If enacted into law, this single
program will improve air quality more quickly and more
efficiently than can be accomplished under current law. The
Clear Skies initiative is an action that would significantly help
address public health threats and would mean thousands fewer
premature deaths and cases of chronic bronchitis; thousands
fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations and millions
fewer respiratory illnesses, including asthma. For more
information about the Clear Skies Initiative, visit the EPA's
Clear Skies website:- http://www.epa.gov/clearskies/
During Asthma Awareness Month, EPA is partnering with other
Federal and non-profit organizations to sponsor and hold
hundreds of asthma awareness events around the country in
schools, libraries, health clinics and hospitals.
The EPA's national Smoke-Free Home Pledge Initiative
educates adults that secondhand smoke is an environmental
trigger for asthma, and motivates parents to make their homes
and cars smoke-free. When parents smoke in their home, it
puts children in increased risk of asthma attacks as well as child-
hood bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections, and even sudden
infant death syndrome. The Smoke-Free Home Pledge Initiative
includes a national TV and print campaign, the distribution of
thousands of brochures, collaboration with State and local
organizations, and a toll-free pledge hotline. The Major League
Baseball Guide to the 2002 season features a full-page ad of
President Bush saying, "Here's the Pitch.... Help Strike" For
more information about the Smoke-Free Home Pledge Initiative
visit the website at:- http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ets/ or call the
toll-free Smoke-Free Home Pledge Hotline at 1-800-513-1157.
The Smoke Free Pledge is available on-line at:-
www.epa.gov/iaq/ets/pledge/ .
The award winning public service announcement (PSA), "I Feel
Like a Fish With No Water," is a product of a partnership be-
tween EPA and the Advertising Council. The now familiar
message alerts parents to indoor environmental triggers of asthma
attacks. Over the next three years, the EPA will participate in a
campaign of PSAs in English and Spanish for television, radio,
newspapers, buses, and subways.
The EPA offers a number of resources for parents and children
to understand and manage asthma. For a free information packet,
call the Childhood Asthma "Fish Out of Water" hotline at 1-800-
315-8056. Visit EPA's asthma website at:-
www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma for a list of asthma education activities
in your local area.
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poisoning prevention, contact the National Pesticide
Information Center Network (NPIC), toll-free, at:
1-800-858-7378, by E-mail at npic@ace.orst.edu,
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Office of Pesticide Programs, visit our homepage
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Office of Pesticide Programs (7506C)
US Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
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