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Pesticide News Story: Pesticide Reregistration Review and Risk Mitigation Allow Special Reviews to Be Closed Out
For Release: August 10, 2007
In three separate Federal Register Notices published this week, the Agency has announced several decisions regarding pesticides that have been pending in EPA’s Special Review process. EPA uses the Pesticide Special Review process when it has reason to believe that the use of a pesticide may result in unreasonable adverse effects on people or the environment. The Special Review process usually involves intensive review of one or only a few potential risks. The review involves evaluating existing data, acquiring new information and/or studies, assessing the identified risk, and determining appropriate risk reduction measures.
The risks prompting these Special Reviews have been eliminated or mitigated during the Reregistration process so that Special Review is no longer necessary.
EPA announced the following decisions this week:- A proposed decision not to initiate a Special Review of Ethyl Parathion and terminate the Special Review of Tributyltin (TBT).
- A decision not to initiate a Special Review of the herbicides 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, and 2,4-DP .
- A proposed decision to terminate the Special Review of Oxydemeton-Methyl (ODM) .
The Agency is proposing not to initiate a Special Review of Ethyl Parathion and is proposing to terminate the Special Review of Tributyltin (TBT) used in antifouling paints because all pesticide registrations of Ethyl Parathion and all TBT antifouling paints have been canceled.
EPA is announcing its final decision not to initiate a Special Review of 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, and 2,4-DP. Based on extensive scientific review of many epidemiology and animal studies, the Agency found that the weight of the evidence does not support a conclusion that the related phenoxy herbicides 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, and 2,4-DP are likely human carcinogens – the basis for considering initiating Special Review.
EPA is proposing to terminate the Special Review of ODM because since the Special Review of this organophosphate insecticide was first initiated, risk mitigation measures, including those required in the 2002 IRED (Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision) have been adopted, and additional data and more comprehensive reviews of potential risks associated with ODM exposure have been completed. These measures addressed the occupational risk concerns that formed the basis for initiating the Special Review, including risk associated with potential reproductive effects.
More on EPA’s Special Review process is available on EPA’s Web site at https://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/special_review/.