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PA EPA PROPOSES A ONE YEAR TOLERANCE ON COTTON FOR HERBICIDE BROMOXYNIL; DENIES TOLERANCE OF FUNGICIDE IPRODIONE ON COTTON

Release Date: 05/05/97
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FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, MAY 5, 1997

EPA PROPOSES A ONE YEAR TOLERANCE ON COTTON FOR HERBICIDE
BROMOXYNIL; DENIES TOLERANCE OF FUNGICIDE IPRODIONE ON COTTON

EPA is proposing one year tolerances (allowable residue levels) for the pesticide bromoxynil and its metabolite, DBHA, on or in cotton, undelinted cottonseed, cotton gin by-products and cotton hulls; and also proposing to revise existing tolerances for bromoxynil on eggs, poultry meat, meat by-products and fat. The time-limited tolerance granted in l995 for bromoxynil on BXN cottonseed (varieties of cotton genetically engineered to be resistant to the herbicide bromoxynil which is applied after the plant is growing) expired on April l. Because BXN cottonseed has already been planted and additional planting is in progress, EPA is expediting a proposed rule, with a l5-day comment period. Treated BXN cottonseed products with residues of bromoxynil would be a violation of the Federal law unless a tolerance is in place. Under provisions of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), EPA is required to consider the aggregate dietary risk of all registered uses of bromoxynil which includes about a dozen food and animal feed crops. Bromoxynil is classified as a carcinogen based on animal studies and is also a developmental toxicant. However, the Agency believes that the pesticide will not violate the statute's health based standard of “reasonable certainty of no harm” because of the adequate margins of exposure. Rhone-Poulenc Ag. Co. of Research Triangle Park, N.C., is the registrant and petitioner for the tolerance. More information on the proposed tolerance for bromoxynil is available in today's Federal Register. Comments must be received in l5 days and should be addressed to: Public Response and Program Resources Branch, Field Operations Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. EPA, 401 M St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. In a separate decision, EPA has not re-established the time-limited tolerance petition of Rhone-Poulenc Ag. Co. for the fungicide iprodione in or on cotton. A previous time-limited tolerance for iprodione on cotton expired on March l5. Under provisions of the FQPA, EPA does not believe it can grant a time-limited tolerance for iprodione on cotton without violating the statue's health-based standard of “reasonable certainty of no harm” based on the aggregate dietary risk of all the registered used of this pesticide. Iprodione is a carcinogen based on animal studies. Iprodione is used primarily on grapes and peaches and is registered and has some uses on approximately 24 other crops. EPA has also required a label changes on iprodione products used on peaches lengthening the interval between application and harvest to 90 days and reducing annual applications from a maximum of four to three. Under Rhone-Poulenc's Inventory Protection Program, distributors, dealers and growers can return end-use products in a orderly fashion through the normal distribution channels.



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