Comments Sought on Pesticide Review Process

To ensure that pesticide registrations continue to meet current health and safety standards, EPA is seeking public comment on a proposed approach to review each existing pesticide registration every 15 years. This new registration review program, mandated by the Food Quality Protection Act, will begin in 2006 and make sure that, as the ability to assess risk evolves and as policies and practices change, "older" pesticides will still meet the statutory standard of no unreasonable adverse effects.

In developing this program over the past several years, EPA consulted with and received significant input from the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee and other key stakeholders regarding the design of registration review. Under the proposed process, the agency would assess any changes that have occurred since the agency's last registration decision on the pesticide. EPA would determine the significance of such changes and whether additional restrictions are needed to ensure that the pesticide meets current requirements under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

Registration review will replace the reregistration and tolerance reassessment programs which are nearing completion. As in those programs, the registration review process would allow for substantial public participation, but unlike those "one-time reassessment" programs, registration review will reoccur for each pesticide every 15 years. During the 90-day comment period for this proposal, the agency will hold public information meetings on the proposed rule.