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In This Issue
Section 18 Exemption for Soybean Rust The U.S. EPA has granted a Section 18 for the use of tebuconazole, formulated as the product Folicur 3.6 Foliar Fungicide, on soybeans to control soybean rust. With the Section 18, there is a maximum of two applications and a maximum of 4.3 million acres in Ohio that may be treated under the soybean rust emergency exemption. The letter from U.S. EPA detailing the emergency exemption is available on the Pesticide Education Program website at http://pested.osu.edu Follow the link for "General Information" for the Section 18 information. EPA has issued a proposed rule to streamline the application and review process for pesticide emergency exemptions. The proposed revisions would allow applicants for emergency exemptions to generally re-certify that emergency conditions continue in the second and third years for certain repeat requests. This way the requesting state or federal agency will not have to submit full renewal applications. Also, the revision would use a loss-based approach to substantiate the significance of economic losses and adjust the data requirements for documenting the loss. The proposed reforms are currently under a public comment period that closes on November 2, 2004. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2004/September/Day-03/p20038.htm (Source: U.S. EPA website and AAPSE news) What is Global Harmonization of Pesticide Labels? U.S. EPA is involved with the global harmonization of pesticide labels, an initiative to promote a common, consistent criteria for classifying chemicals worldwide. The harmonized pesticide labels would use widely recognized symbols and warnings for physical hazards and key environmental and health effects such as toxicity, signal words, and hazard statements. Currently, the Agency has created a white paper about the global harmonization process that is available at http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/international/global/globa-whitepaper.pdf There is a public comment period for feedback about the paper until October 25, 2004. A summary of the global harmonization is available at http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/international/globalharmon.htm The U.S. involvement in the global harmonization would be voluntary. The scope of the harmonization effort includes all hazardous chemicals, including pesticides. The United Nations and World Summit committees involved with the process have set a goal of 2008 for implementation of the new system. If the U.S. decides to implement the new system, it would mean a change in the look and organization of all pesticide labels, and new terms regarding human and environmental safety statements on the label. (Source: U.S. EPA website) In June, EPA released the draft health and environmental risk assessment (PEP Talk - July 2004) for the reregistration of the herbicide 2, 4-D. In the risk assessment, EPA concluded the 2,4-D would not exceed the Agency's level of concern and based on the review of the 2,4-D studies, the Health Effects Division concluded that there is no additional evidence that 2,4-D causes cancer. A 2,4-D industry task force has compiled research information on 2,4-D that is available on their web site at http://www.24d.org The website chronicles studies on the widely-used herbicide as well as provide information on the registration process of the product. (Source: Chemically Speaking, July, 2004) EPA has begun work on a Soil Fumigant Cluster Assessment. Several soil fumigants will be reviewed concurrently because they are used in similar ways and may be expected to result in similar human exposure. The review is part of the Food Quality and Protection Act (FQPA) reregistration process for pesticides. The assessment will include methyl bromide, metam sodium, chloropicrin and dazomet. EPA is planning to publish its comparative risk assessment of these fumigants for public comment in January, 2005. (Source: EPA Pesticide Program Update) There are several studies under way to evaluate children's exposures to chemicals, including pesticides. One study is a coordinated effort between EPA and the American Chemistry Council. Entitled "A Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study - CHEERS" the study is developing more reliable exposure measurements on infants and toddlers for several household chemicals including flame retardants and pesticides. More information is available at http://www.epa.gov/cheers The University of North Dakota received a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to study pesticide exposure for children between seven and 12 years of age. The children will be divided into two groups: one group of 64 that live on a farm and one group of 64 that live at least one mile away from a farm. The children are tested during the summer months and the project has already tested 20 children this past summer. The remainder will be tested this coming summer. The Oregon Child Development Coalition has recently completed a series of tests to measure the effects of second-hand pesticide exposure in the young children of migrant farm workers. The study tested 43 four and five-year-olds in Oregon. Half of the children's families worked in agriculture and the other half did not. The children were tested for neurological functions such as attention, memory and coordination. The final results are expected at this time next year. (Sources: Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, Vol. 32, No. 47 and No. 46, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs) The State of Maine has decided to postpone a rule that would mandate implementation of an IPM plan for public places such as restaurants, grocery stores and nursing homes. The rule was modeled after Maine's IPM requirement for schools that includes an individual, detailed plan for each school along with the designation of an IPM coordinator. The proposed rule would have required implementation of the IPM plan, notification of pesticide use and the requirement that employees and customers could not be present when pesticides were in use. Opponents of the rule pointed out that the measures would not allow for routine, preventative pesticide use and open the door to insect and rodent infestations in food service establishments. (Source: Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, Vol. 32, No. 47) Insecticides
Herbicides
Fungicides
Misc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension. . |
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