[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-13789]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 8, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00382; FRL-4870-8]

 

Update of Pesticide Residue Chemistry Guidelines

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and requests 
comments on updated guidance for registrants on the residue data 
requirements in 40 CFR Part 158 to support registration of pesticides 
under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 
and tolerances under Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The updated 
guidance consists of a revision of Table II of the Pesticide Assessment 
Guidelines, Subdivision O, Residue Chemistry, describing raw and 
processed foods and animal feeds.

ADDRESSES: Copies of this proposed updated Table II may be obtained 
from the Pesticides Docket, Office of Pesticide Programs, Public 
Response and Program Resources Branch, Rm. 1132, Crystal Mall # 1921 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202, (703) 305-5805.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Contact by mail: Jerry Stokes, Health Effects Division (7509C), Office 
of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. In person or by telephone: Rm. 803, Crystal Mall 
2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway. Arlington, VA, (703) 305-7561. 
Comments will be accepted for 75 days following publication of this 
notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table II of the Pesticide Assessment 
Guidelines, Subdivision O, Residue Chemistry, provides a listing of all 
significant food and feed commodities, both raw and processed, for 
which residue data are collected and tolerances are set. In addition, 
for feed commodities, Table II provides (1) the maximum percent of the 
diet for beef and dairy cattle, poultry and swine, and (2) guidance on 
which crops EPA believes it would be appropriate to allow lable 
restrictions prohibiting use of commodities as feeds.
    As a culmination of a long-term project to update the ``Guide For 
Estimating Toxic Residues in Animal Feeds or Diets'' (authored by Dr. 
L. Harris in 1975, and commonly known as the ``Harris Guide'') EPA has 
updated Table II. This update of Table II was deemed appropriate 
because there have been significant change in agricultural, processing 
and feeding practices in the past decade. The update has revised which 
raw agricultural and processed commodities and livestock feeds are 
listed in the Table II and the percentage of these items in the diets 
of animals. More information on the basis for these revisions are 
included in the updated Table II.
    In reviewing the data collected on animal fees EPA also reevaluated 
the policy of allowing as a substitute for data, a label restriction 
prohibiting the use (or sale) of a commodity for livestock feed 
purposes. EPA derived three criteria which would be weighed in 
determining whether to permit label restrictions in lieu of data in the 
future. More details on the criteria are provided in the revised Table 
II. Generally, the Agency does not consider it good public policy to 
regulate pesticides in such a way that growers/farmers using a 
registered product must then destroy an economically and nutritionally 
valuable portion of the treated crop. EPA's preliminary view is that 
there are only four cases: safflower forage, buckwheat forage, lentil 
forage, and sunflower forage. EPA will reevaluate the appropriateness 
of label restrictions on a commodity by commodity basis in future 
registration and tolerance actions. Comments are specifically requested 
on the Agency's label restriction policy. Comments should provide 
information, and documentation if available, of the economic value of 
specific commodities in terms of cash, barter, or as fed directly on 
the farm. If commodities can practically be diverted from use as a 
livestock feed, their alternative use or disposal should be explained. 
After all comments on the updated Table II are received, they will be 
reviewed and the document revised and if necessary, reissued.
    As guidelines, EPA will begin with the publication of this notice 
to use the revised Table II in its evaluation of pesticide 
registrations and tolerances. EPA realize that in some instances where 
studies have already begun or are scheduled to begin in the near 
future, data may not be able to be collected on the commodities that 
have been added to Table II. EPA believes that six months should be 
sufficient time for registrants to familiarize themselves with the 
changes in Table II. For studies begun either prior to the publication 
of this notice or in the next six months, EPA will be flexible 
regarding whether studies which do not supply data on the new 
commodities in Table II are adequate for registration and tolerance 
purposes and when additional data, if any, will be required to be 
submitted under EPA's data call-in authority.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.

    Dated: May 31, 1994.
Penelope A. Fenner-Crisp,
Director, Health Effects Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 94-13789 Filed 6-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F-M