EPA Pesticide Program Update from EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs 02/14/02 http://www.epa.gov/pesticides ********************************************** 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 ********************************************** EPA distributes its Pesticide Program Updates to external stakeholders and citizens who have expressed an interest in OPP. activities and decisions. We have established an electronic list serve for people who want to keep abreast of pesticide issues and decisions. This update service is part of EPA's continuing effort to improve public access to Federal pesticide information. For general questions on pesticides and pesticide poisoning prevention, contact the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC), toll-free, at: 1-800-858-7378, by e-mail at npic@ace.orst.edu, or by visiting its Web site at: http://npic.orst.edu 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: Communication Services Branch Office of Pesticide Programs (7506C) US Environmental Protection Agency Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004-2403 703-305-5017