United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Pesticides And
Toxic Substances
(7508W)
738-F-91-102
September 1991
R.E.D. FACTS
Pesticide
Reregistration
Dried Blood
All pesticides sold or used in the United States must be registered by
EPA, based on scientific studies showing that they can be used without
posing unreasonable risks to people or the environment. Because of
advances in scientific knowledge, the law requires that pesticides which
were first registered years ago be reregistered to ensure that they meet
today's more stringent standards.
In evaluating pesticides for reregistration, EPA obtains and reviews a
complete set of studies from pesticide producers, showing the human health
and environmental effects of each pesticide. The Agency imposes any
regulatory controls that are needed to effectively manage each pesticide's
risks. EPA then reregisters pesticides that can be used without posing
undue hazards to human health or the environment.
When a pesticide is eligible for reregistration, EPA announces this and
explains why in a Reregistration Eligibility Document, or RED. This fact
sheet summarizes the information in the RED for dried blood.
Use Profile
Regulatory
History
Dried blood, or blood meal, is produced from clean, fresh beef blood,
obtained from cattle slaughter houses. The raw blood is flash dried,
centrifuged to a coarse, wet powder, and then thoroughly dried at very high
temperatures. The resulting dried blood powder is insoluble in water and
extremely stable.
Dried blood is used in combination with other pesticide active
ingredients as an outdoor animal repellant. These dust formulations are
applied in a band to the soil around ornamental plants, trees and shrubs, to
repel rabbits and dogs.
The Federal government first registered an animal repellent pesticide
product containing dried blood as an active ingredient in 1958. That
product still is registered today, as are two other products containing dried
blood. All three products contain dried blood in combination with the
active ingredients naphthalene and either tobacco dust or thiram.
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Although historically it was regulated as a conventional pesticide,
EPA reclassified dried blood as a biochemical pesticide in April 1991
because it is a naturally-occurring substance and has a non-toxic mode of
action.
Human Health
Assessment
Toxicity
The manufacturing process for dried blood ensures that all
proteinaceous products in the blood are denatured and all potential
mammalian pathogens are inactivated. Therefore, the usual toxicology data
requirements have been waived.
Applicator Exposure
Although people applying dried blood dust formulations could
potentially experience some dermal or inhalation exposure, the dried blood
in these products poses no known human risks. Therefore, no additional
use restrictions are being imposed at this time.
Current labels require that applicators wear gloves to reduce their
exposure to the other active ingredients in dried blood products. Before
making product reregistration decisions, EPA will complete its
reregistration review of each of the other three active ingredients in dried
blood products. Ultimately, the Agency may require additional use
restrictions or precautions on dried blood product labels, depending on the
toxicity of the other active ingredients.
Human Risk Assessment
The potential risks, if any, to humans from exposure to dried blood
pesticide products during application are considered negligible. EPA
concludes that there are no adverse human health effects associated with the
pesticidal use of dried blood alone.
Environmental The environmental fate and effects data requirements for a
Hazards biochemical pesticide have been waived for dried blood. The approved uses
of this pesticide are expected to pose no significant risks to nontarget species
or the environment.
Environmental Fate
Since there are no ecological effects concerns with the approved uses
of dried blood, there are no environmental fate data requirements.
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Ecological Effects
All ecological effects studies have been waived for dried blood
because:
• when used as directed, it should result in negligible
exposure and pose no hazard to nontarget organisms;
• the manufacturing process ensures that potential
mammalian pathogens are inactivated and proteins are
denatured;
• it is a naturally occurring substance; and
• it acts as a repellent rather than a toxicant.
Additional Data ^° additional generic data are required at this time for reregistration
Reauired °^ Feticide products containing the active ingredient dried blood. Product-
specific data are required because dried blood pesticide products also
contain other, more toxic ingredients.
Product LabelinQ The labels of end-use products containing dried blood must comply
Chanaes Reauired w^n EPA's current regulations and requirements. No other labeling
changes are required at this time.
ReQUlatorv * Based on EPA's review of the data base for the active ingredient
Conclusion dried blood, the three registered pesticide products containing
dried blood can be used without causing unreasonable adverse
effects in people or the environment. Therefore, they are
eligible for reregistration.
• Since these three products contain other active ingredients in
addition to dried blood, they will be reregistered only after their
other active ingredients also have been found eligible for
reregistration.
• EPA will reregister individual end-use products containing dried
blood once product-specific data and revised labeling are
submitted to and accepted by the Agency for all of the active
ingredients in each of these products.
For More EPA is requesting public comments on the Reregistration Eligibility
Information Document (RED) for dried blood during a 60-day time period, as
announced in a Notice of Availability published in the Federal Register. To
obtain a copy of the RED or to submit written comments, please contact the
Public Response and Program Resources Branch, Field Operations Division
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(7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), US EPA, Washington, DC
20460, telephone 703-557-2805.
In the future, the RED will be available from the National Technical
Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA
22161, telephone 703-487-4650.
For more information about dried blood or about EPA's pesticide
reregistration program, please contact the Special Review and Reregistration
Division (7508W), OPP, US EPA, Washington, DC 20460, telephone 703-
308-8000. For information about reregistration of individual dried blood
pesticide products, please contact the Registration Division (7505C), OPP,
US EPA, Washington, DC 20460, telephone 703-557-5447.
For information about the health effects of pesticides, or for assistance
in recognizing and managing pesticide poisoning symptoms, please contact
the National Pesticides Telecommunications Network (NPTN). Call toll-
free 1-800-858-7378, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or Fax your
inquiry to 806-743-3094.
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