| 
| 
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPA Pesticide Program Updates: April 2, 2002Pesticide Program Update from EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, April 2, 2002 IN THIS UPDATE:
EPA Announces Public Comment Period on Common Mechanism of Toxicity Determination for a Series of Triazine Pesticides (June 2 Deadline for Comments)On April 2, 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an opportunity for public comment on the Agency's determination as to whether the class of pesticides commonly referred to as "the triazines" share a common mechanism of toxicity. Under the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), EPA is required to consider the cumulative effects of pesticides that affect the body through the same key pathways when establishing, modifying, revoking, or deciding to leave a tolerance in place. Identifying pesticides and other substances that share a common mechanism of toxicity is the first step of the cumulative risk assessment process, which assists EPA in making regulatory decisions that fully protect public health, especially the health of children and infants.EPA has concluded that the following triazine-containing pesticides should be included in a common mechanism group and thus considered by means of cumulative risk assessment: atrazine, simazine, propazine, and the degradants diaminochlorotriazine (DACT), desethyl-s-atrazine (DEA), and desisopropyl-s-atrazine (DIA). The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) of EPA made this common mechanism of toxicity determination based on evidence that these pesticides act in the same manner to produce consequent effects on reproductive functions and reproductive development. EPA's determination is now subject to a 60-day public comment period. The triazine pesticides have been given high priority in EPA's review of older pesticides and associated tolerances (maximum allowable limits of pesticide residues in food or animal feed) according to the mandates in FQPA. The triazine pesticides (in particular, atrazine) are widely used herbicides, in agriculture and non-agricultural use sites, primarily utilized to control broadleaf and some grassy weeds. OPP feels that these pesticides should be considered a common mechanism group for purposes of a cumulative risk assessment and as part of the tolerance reassessment process. Interested parties have until June 2, 2002, to submit comments. EPA has established a separate public docket for the triazine group: "A Common Mechanism of Toxicity Determination for a Series of Triazine Pesticides." This public docket, including printed, paper versions of electronic comments, is available for inspection from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. OPP's Public Docket is located in the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch of the Information Resources and Services Division, Room 119, Crystal Mall 2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia. You may bring comments to the docket or submit written comments directly to: Public Information and Records Integrity Branch Note: For general questions on pesticides and pesticide poisoning prevention, contact the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (NPTN), toll-free, at: 1-800-858-7378, by e-mail at nptn@ace.orst.edu, or by visiting their Web site. For information about ongoing activities in the Office of Pesticide Programs, visit OPPs home page. Or call or write OPP directly at: Communication Services Branch |
|
 Western Integrated Pest Management Center Pest Management Centers are sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service |
|