United States Reprinted
rnvironmental Protection June 1978
Agency OPA 78/8
Pesticide
Registration
How It
Protects You,
>bur Family and
The Environment
-------
-------
We are all part of the total ecological
system; we all share the responsi-
bility of preserving this system from
destruction.
Nowhere is this more true than in our use
of pesticides. Their safe and effective use in
our environment can be assured by proper
regulation and by consumer attention to label
instructions. Regulation is a responsibility of the
Environmental Protection Agency. EPA has
developed this booklet to help you better
understand the role you and your government
share in maintaining a safe environment and
at the same time retaining the benefits of
pesticides.
L
-------
Pesticides
Friends
Or Foes?
Revolutionary discoveries that have helped
man create a better and more comfortable
life also have the capacity for great good or
great harm to man depending on how they
are used. Fire, nuclear energy, the more power-
ful medicines are evidence of this.
So are pesticides. More than 34,000
products made from one or more of 900 chemi-
cal compounds are currently registered by
EPA. Used on farms and in and around homes,
in gardens, and in commercial establishments,
pesticides have brought many benefits. They
protect crops and livestock from insects and
diseases. Used in plant regulators, they prevent
premature dropping of fruit. In defoliants
they stimulate uniform plant maturity so that
mechanical harvesting can be used more effec-
tively. Pesticides retard the growth of fungi in
asphalt, paint, plastics, and jet fuel, and they
are used in products that sterilize, disinfect, and
sanitize.
Our immediate environment is the first place
in which we notice the benefits of pesticides.
Our homes are cleaner. The food on our table
is more abundant. We are healthier. In the
wider world, millions of lives are saved, food
production is increased and forests and park-
lands are preserved because disease-carrying
insects are controlled by pesticides.
-------
There is, however, another side. Certain
pesticides if not handled properly present
an immediate danger to the user. Some are
highly toxic and may cause serious illness and
even death if spilled on the skin, inhaled, or
otherwise used carelessly.
Potentially more perilous are pesticides that
persist in the environment over long periods of
time and that can move up in the food chain.
For example: small amounts of chemicals
absorbed by plankton and insects are trans-
ferred in increasing concentrations to fish, birds,
animals, and eventually to man through food.
These chemicals are retained in body fat and
tissues. There is no evidence that this concen-
tration is harmful to man. There is evidence,
however, that concentrated pesticide residues
act adversely on the reproduction and behavior
of certain birds and may threaten the survival
of some wildlife species.
We cannot afford to lose the advantages
gained through pesticides, but neither can we
ignore the potential dangers. Obviously we
must derive the maximum benefits by safe
pesticide use. At the same time, we must find
ways to minimize or eliminate the hazards that
may accompany the application of these chemi-
cal tools. EPA believes that proper pesticide
regulation, along with research into more
sophisticated pest management techniques, can
increase the quality and quantity of agricultural
production in a manner that is safe to man,
animals and the environment.
-------
How
Are You
Protected?
Registration of pesticides is designed to pro-
tect you and the environment from pesticide
abuse. EPA is responsible for providing you
with such protection by two laws. The first is
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) of 1947 as amended
by the Federal Environmental Pesticide Con-
trol Act of 1972; the second is The Pesticide
Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug and
Cosmetic Act.
Registration of Pesticides
Under FIFRA as amended, all pesticides
must be registered. Before a registration can
be obtained, however, the manufacturer must
submit data to the Registration Division of
EPA showing that the product when used as
directed:
I) is effective against the pests listed on the
label
2) will not injure man, animals, crops or
damage the environment
3) will not result in illegal residues on food
or feed.
Data submitted to EPA are carefully studied
by various scientists each of whom evaluates
the information according to his own area of
competence. Studied are pesticide reactions
in the environment including: speed and form
of pesticide decomposition after application;
degree of transport and persistence in soil, air
or water; effect of light and rain on pesticides,
and potential effects of pesticides on man,
animals, and plant life.
Setting
Residue Tolerance
Levels
It is vital that the food you eat be safe from
harmful amounts of pesticide residue. The
Pesticide Amendment to the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act authorizes EPA to
establish a tolerance level—the amount of
-------
pesticide that may safely remain on the crop
after harvesting—for each registered pesticide.
To determine tolerance level, EPA studies
and analyzes the manufacturer's data to insure
that the pesticide when used as directed will
not result in residues over the safety level, and
that the proposed level is safe for human con-
sumption. Permissible tolerance levels are
established well below any level that could
possibly cause you harm.
No pesticide is registered by EPA unless
it is shown that the product is safe and effective
when used as directed. All registered products
bear an EPA registration number (older
products may have a USDA number). When
you buy a pesticide—look for that number on
the label.
How Has
The Law
Been Strengthened?
FIFRA as amended, strengthens EPA's
ability to regulate pesticides not only by extend-
ing the Agency's jurisdiction over registration,
but by giving the Agency broad powers of
enforcement as well.
The major provisions of the law include:
1) Pesticides shipped intrastate as well as
interstate must be registered with EPA.
(The old FIFRA required only that
pesticides shipped in interstate commerce
be registered.)
2) The use of any registered pesticide in a
manner inconsistent with labeling instruc-
tions is prohibited. Knowing misuse of a
pesticide can result in both civil and
criminal penalties.
3) Pesticides shall be classified for either
"general" or "restricted use", and those
classified as "restricted" may be applied
only by a certified applicator. "Restricted-
use" pesticides will be those which may
pose an unreasonable risk to the applica-
tor or the environment unless employed
with great care. Thus, the most poten-
tially hazardous products will not be
-------
available to the general public.
4) Pesticide manufacturing plants must be
registered and are subject to inspection
by EPA agents.
5) EPA is authorized to issue a "stop sale,
use and removal" order when a pesticide
violates the law or its registration has
been suspended or cancelled.
6) Disposal of pesticides whose registration
has been suspended and then cancelled
shall be regulated by EPA.
All of these provisions must be in effect by
late 1976. Some sections became effective im-
mediately, others have later enforcement dead-
lines. The later deadlines were determined by
the need to establish regulations for certain sec-
tions and to develop Federal standards to guide
States in implementing portions of the legisla-
tion applicable to them.
How Is
Registration
Enforced?
We live in a world of increasing knowledge
and rapid change. To insure that registered
pesticide products continue to meet EPA regis-
tration requirements in the light of new scientific
data, trained EPA personnel continually check
on the marketed products. Samples are col-
lected from pesticide manufacturers and dis-
tributors in all parts of the country. These are
field tested, and analyzed in EPA laboratories
for verification of label claims concerning con-
tent, effectiveness, and safety. Labels are re-
viewed to determine that no claims are made
other than those accepted by EPA at the time
of registration. Furthermore, effects of pesti-
cides on the environment are continuously
monitored in a national program that includes
studies on soil, water, plants, animals and man.
When There are Violations
If a product is found to be ineffective or
unsafe, EPA may take one of several actions.
In the case of a minor violation, an informal
notice to the company concerned is usually
sufficient to insure that deficiencies are cor-
rected. More serious violations may result in
-------
a formal notice of violation, seizure of the
company's goods, or initiation of civil or
criminal proceedings against the violator.
When there is question regarding the safety
of the continued use of a pesticide, EPA may
issue a formal notice of cancellation that be-
comes effective within 30 days unless appealed.
If the cancellation is challenged, the product
registration remains valid and marketing may
continue pending the outcome of the adminis-
trative process.
Where prompt action is needed, EPA may
suspend a pesticide registration when it is de-
termined that an imminent hazard to the public
welfare exists. This action immediately halts
further sale, distribution or shipment of the
pesticide regardless of any appeal by the manu-
facturer.
Enforcing Tolerance Levels
Enforcement of tolerance levels established
by EPA is the responsibility of two other Fed-
eral agencies. The Food and Drug Administra-
tion (FDA) continually inspects agricultural
commodities to insure that residues in foods
offered for sale in the marketplace do not
exceed the established tolerance levels. In ad-
dition, the Department of Agriculture (USDA)
inspects meat and poultry for such residues.
Any food found to have residues in excess of
the legal tolerance level is subject to seizure
and destruction. Thus EPA in cooperation with
FDA and USDA acts to protect the public
welfare through the establishment and strict
enforcement of tolerances.
What
Can You Do?
We have used our scientific and technological
discoveries to improve our lives but in the past
we have given too little thought to the con-
sequences. By broadening and strengthening
pesticide registration, EPA is acting to further
reduce the unnecessary and careless use of
pesticides. You can do your part by using these
chemicals only when necessary and only as
directed on the label.
-------
Pesticides Are
Poisons
Read the Label!
Pesticides can injure and kill. They can harm
the environment. They must be used carefully
and intelligently. Make sure you:
1. Look for the EPA registration number on
the product label. This assures you that
the pesticide is safe and effective when
used according to label directions.
2. Read the directions thoroughly. Use only
the exact amount directed, at the time
and place specified, and only for the
purpose listed. Don't think that twice
the amount called for will do twice as
good a job—it won't. This misconception
can do great harm to you or to what you
are trying to protect.
3. Read the precautions. Those pesticides
with the highest degree of toxicity are
marked with a skull and crossbones and
state DANGER-POISON; the word
WARNING signifies that the pesticides
are less harmful; and CAUTION means
that they are the least harmful.
Pay special attention to instructions such
as that children and pets should not be
permitted in the sprayed area until it is
dry. Heed any advice about wearing
protective clothing and note what to do
if the pesticide spills on your body or
clothing.
-------
4. Observe the ingredient statement and
first aid instructions. If an accident does
occur, take a copy of the label to your
doctor or hospital.
5. Store the product in a safe place and in
the original container. Never transfer
a pesticide to a soft drink bottle or any
other container that may be attractive
to children.
6. Dispose of empty containers according to
label instructions.
By studying and heeding all instructions on
a pesticide label, you can save yourself and
your children from serious accidents. You
should also remember the potential effect of
pesticide misuse on the environment. By con-
taminating air, soil, and water resources, pesti-
cides can pose a threat to plants, animals, and
indirectly to man himself.
Protect yourself9
your children,
and the environment!
Read the Label!
.vu.S.GOVERNMENT PR I NT ING OFF ICE: 1 3 ?8- - 723 - 590
------- |