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Cooperative Extension Service                         
(907) 262-5824, fax (907) 262-3939

This Web Page is funded by the Western Region Integrated Pest Management Center. Please visit them at: http://www.wrpmc.ucdavis.edu/

WHAT'S NEW
IN THIS UPDATE:  February 2010

Public Availability of Identities of Inert Ingredients; Extension of Comment Period

EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making in the Federal Register of December 23, 2009, concerning the initiation of rulemaking to increase public availability of the identities of the inert ingredients in pesticide products. EPA received and granted two requests, from Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment and Sygenta Crop Protection, for a 90-day extension of the comment period from February 22, 2010, to April 23, 2010. For further information:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-3415.pdf.

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Voluntary Cancellation of products

Notice of Receipt of Requests to Voluntarily Cancel Certain Pesticide Registrations
Date of publication: January 26, 2010
Citation: Volume 75, Number 16; Page 4072-4077
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-1476.htm
Purpose: In accordance with section 6(f) (1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as amended, EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of request by registrants to voluntarily cancel certain pesticide registrations.
Chemical(s): various
Comments: Submit your comments and your withdrawal request, identified by docket identification number EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0014, by one of the methods listed in the Federal Register Notice. Unless a request is withdrawn by July 26, 2010 orders will be issued canceling these registrations. The Agency will consider withdrawal requests postmarked no later than July 26, 2010. Comments must be received on or before July 26, 2010.
Contact: Maia Tatinclaux, Office of Pesticide Programs (7508P), telephone number: (703) 347-0123; e-mail address: tatinclaux.maia@epa.gov.

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Pesticides; Draft Guidance for Pesticide Registrants on Pesticide Drift Labeling and Petition to Protect Children from Pesticide Drift; Notices of Availability; Extension of Comment Period
Date of publication: December 9, 2009
Citation: Volume 74, Number 235; Page 65120-65121
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-29069.htm
Purpose: EPA issued two related notices in the Federal Register of November 4, 2009, one concerning draft guidance on pesticide drift labeling, and one on a petition submitted to the Agency for protecting children from pesticide drift. Both notices announced the availability of the source documents and opened public comment periods of 60 days (until January 4, 2010). Today's notice extends the comment period on both notices for an additional 60 days, from January 4, 2010 to March 5, 2010.
Chemical(s): Pesticide Drift Labeling
Comments: Comments, identified by the docket identification number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0628 and EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0825, must be received on or before March 5, 2010. Follow the detailed instructions as provided under ADDRESSES in the Federal Register documents of November 4, 2009.
Contact: For EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0628, Veronique LaCapra, Pesticide Re-evaluation Division (7508P), telephone number: 703-605-1525; e-mail address: lacapra.veronique@epa.gov. For EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0825, Jill Bloom, Pesticide Re-evaluation Division (7508P), telephone number: 703-308-8019; e-mail address: bloom.jill@epa.gov.

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New Policy Reduces Pesticide Pollution and Waste

Under an interim policy announced today, retailers and distributors of pesticide products may be allowed to repair minor damage to pesticide containers. EPA developed the interim policy to ensure that such repairs are consistent with federal requirements for pesticide registration, production, and labeling. By allowing minor repairs to containers, the policy would enable products to be used as intended rather than being disposed of.

According to one source, approximately five million pounds of consumer pesticide products may become waste each year in the United States due to damage to pesticide containers before the products can be sold by retailers. Sources indicate that the most commonly damaged pesticide containers are large plastic bags, such as those containing fertilizer/pesticide mixtures. By allowing damaged bags of pesticides to be patched, this new policy contributes to EPA's long-standing policies of waste minimization and pollution prevention.

The interim policy has very specific requirements, including an application and review process. Each applicant's "minor repair program" must receive specific approval from EPA for that individual proposal. For more information on the interim policy, please see http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/containers.htm#container

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New Pyrethrins and Pyrethroid Information Available Three new items on EPA's Web site will enhance the public's access to information about pesticides in the pyrethrin/ pyrethroid class of insecticides. These items are 1) a new consolidated Web page on these chemicals, 2) a paper and related fact sheet on the Agency's analysis of whether an association exists between pyrethrin/ pyrethroid exposure and asthma and allergies, and 3) a description of new environmental hazard and general labeling for non-agricultural outdoor use pyrethroid products, including tips for consumers to use in reducing the potential for pesticide runoff and drift. The new items are described further below. EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) has launched a new Web site on pyrethrins and pyrethroids. On this site, you can access information about EPA's reevaluation of these pesticides, assessment of pyrethrin and pyrethroid incidents, and other related topics and issues. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are insecticides included in over 3,500 registered products, many of which are used widely in and around households, including on pets, in mosquito control, and in agriculture. The use of pyrethrins and pyrethroids has increased during the past decade with the declining use of organophosphate pesticides, which are more acutely toxic to birds and mammals than the pyrethroids. This new Web site is available at http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reevaluation/pyrethroids-pyrethrins.html . Included on this Web site is a new paper on pyrethrin/pyrethroid products and asthma/allergy effects. Differing from previous reviews, this review uses a "weight of the evidence approach" to determine whether there is a clear and consistent association between pyrethrins/pyrethroid exposure and asthma and allergies. From this analysis, the Agency has concluded that there is no clear evidence of an association. For more information on this paper, visit http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reevaluation/paw-factsheet.html . Also included on the new Web site is a page on Environmental Hazard and General Labeling for Pyrethroid Non-Agricultural Outdoor Products. This page describes the revised "Environmental Hazard Statements" and general "Directions for Use" language for pyrethroid pesticide products used in non-agricultural outdoor settings, which affects over 2,000 end-use pyrethroid pesticides. The revised label language will reduce the potential for pesticide runoff and drift of pyrethroid pesticides, ultimately providing better protection to aquatic habitats and the environment. Consumers can begin using these improved practices to protect water resources. Visit http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reevaluation/environmental-hazard-statment.html to find out more information on this labeling initiative.

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Pesticide Issues in the Works Explores Emerging Issues EPA has a new Web page, Pesticide Issues in the Works. The fact sheets on this page are designed to provide information about issues that are under consideration within the pesticide program but that may be early in the development process or for which information is currently limited. We want to let the public know we are involved in these issues and to provide what information we can. The first two issues are colony collapse disorder and pesticide volatilization. Subsequent topics will be added as they become available. The Web page is available at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/about/intheworks/.

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For additional information regarding the Alaska Pest Management Program please contact:

UAF - Cooperative Extension Service
43961 K-Beach Road, Suite A
Soldotna, AK  99669
Phone:(907) 262-5824
Fax:(907) 262-3939

 
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