Formaldehyde/Paraformaldehyde Risk Assessments; Notice of Availability and Risk Reduction Options, 21944-21946 [E8-8684]
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21944
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 23, 2008 / Notices
TABLE 1.—REGISTRATIONS WITH PENDING REQUESTS FOR CANCELLATION—Continued
Registration No.
Product Name
Chemical Name
FL 84-0019
Nemacur 3 Emulsifiable Systemic Insecticide-Nematicide
Fenamiphos
HI 04-0001
Nemacur 3 Emulsifiable Systemic Insecticide-Nematicide
Fenamiphos
OR 04-0021
Nemacur 3 Emulsifiable Systemic Insecticide-Nematicide
Fenamiphos
Unless a request is withdrawn by the
registrant within 30 days of publication
of this notice, orders will be issued
canceling all of these registrations.
Users of these pesticides or anyone else
desiring the retention of a registration
should contact the applicable registrant
directly during this 30–day period.
Table 2 of this unit includes the
names and addresses of record for all
registrants of the products in Table 1 of
this unit, in sequence by EPA company
number.
TABLE 2.—REGISTRANTS REQUESTING VOLUNTARY CANCELLATION
EPA Company No.
Company Name and Address
264
Bayer CropScience
2 T.W. Alexander Drive
P.O. Box 12014 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
IV. What is the Agency’s Authority for
Taking this Action?
Section 6(f)(1) of FIFRA provides that
a registrant of a pesticide product may
at any time request that any of its
pesticide registrations be canceled.
FIFRA further provides that, before
acting on the request, EPA must publish
a notice of receipt of any such request
in the Federal Register. Thereafter,
following the public comment period,
the Administrator may approve such a
request.
V. Procedures for Withdrawal of
Request
Registrants who choose to withdraw a
request for cancellation must submit
such withdrawal in writing to the
person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT, postmarked
before [insert date 30 days after date of
publication in the Federal Register].
This written withdrawal of the request
for cancellation will apply only to the
applicable FIFRA section 6(f)(1) request
listed in this notice. If the products have
been subject to a previous cancellation
action, the effective date of cancellation
and all other provisions of any earlier
cancellation action are controlling.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
VI. Provisions for Disposition of
Existing Stocks
Existing stocks are those stocks of
registered pesticide products which are
currently in the United States and
which were packaged, labeled, and
released for shipment prior to the
effective date of the cancellation action.
If this request for voluntary cancellation
is granted, the Agency intends to issue
a cancellation order that will allow
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:58 Apr 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
persons other than the registrant to
continue to use the affected FIFRA 24(c)
labels to apply existing stocks of the
previously-cancelled parent Section 3
products, Nemacur 15% Granular
Systemic Insecticide-Nematicide and
Nemacur 3 Emulsifiable Systemic
Insecticide-Nematicide (EPA Reg. Nos.
264-726 and 264-731, respectively),
provided such use is consistant with the
24(c) labels, until such existing stocks
are exhausted. The registrant will not be
permitted to sell or distribute the
previously-cancelled parent Section 3
products, Nemacur 15% Granular
Systemic Insecticide-Nematicide and
Nemacur 3 Emulsifiable Systemic
Insecticide-Nematicide (EPA Reg. Nos.
264-726 and 264-731, respectively), but
existing stocks already in the hands of
dealers or users may be distributed and
sold until May 31, 2008 and used legally
until they are exhausted, in accordance
with FRL–7332–5. If, as the Agency
currently intends, the final cancellation
order contains the existing stocks
provision just described, the order will
be sent only to the affected registrants
of the cancelled products. If the Agency
determines that the final cancellation
order should contain existing stocks
provisions different than the ones just
described, the Agency will publish the
cancellation order in the Federal
Register.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides
and pests.
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Dated: April 10, 2008.
Peter Caulkins,
Acting Director, Special Review and
Reregistration Division.
[FR Doc. E8–8568 Filed 4–22–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–S
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0121; FRL–8360–3]
Formaldehyde/Paraformaldehyde Risk
Assessments; Notice of Availability
and Risk Reduction Options
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
availability of EPA’s risk assessments,
and related documents for the pesticide
formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde, and
opens a public comment period on these
documents (Phase 3 of 4–Phase
Process). The public is encouraged to
suggest risk management ideas or
proposals to address the risks identified.
EPA is developing a Reregistration
Eligibility Decision (RED) for
formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde
through a modified, 4–Phase public
participation process that the Agency
uses to involve the public in developing
pesticide reregistration decisions.
Through this program, EPA is ensuring
that all pesticides meet current health
and safety standards.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before June 23, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM
23APN1
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 23, 2008 / Notices
number EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0121, by
one of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs
(OPP) Regulatory Public Docket (7502P),
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,
DC 20460–0001.
• Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental
Protection Agency, Rm. S–4400, One
Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S.
Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries
are only accepted during the Docket’s
normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to
4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays). Special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information. The
Docket Facility telephone number is
(703) 305–5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–
0121. EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the docket
without change and may be made
available on-line at https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through regulations.gov or email. The regulations.gov website is an
‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which
means EPA will not know your identity
or contact information unless you
provide it in the body of your comment.
If you send an e-mail comment directly
to EPA without going through
regulations.gov, your e-mail address
will be automatically captured and
included as part of the comment that is
placed in the docket and made available
on the Internet. If you submit an
electronic comment, EPA recommends
that you include your name and other
contact information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM
you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification,
EPA may not be able to consider your
comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form
of encryption, and be free of any defects
or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the docket index available
in regulations.gov. To access the
electronic docket, go to https://
www.regulations.gov, select ‘‘Advanced
Search,’’ then ‘‘Docket Search.’’ Insert
the docket ID number where indicated
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:48 Apr 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
and select the ‘‘Submit’’ button. Follow
the instructions on the regulations.gov
website to view the docket index or
access available documents. Although
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
is not placed on the Internet and will be
publicly available only in hard copy
form. Publicly available docket
materials are available either in the
electronic docket at https://
www.regulations.gov, or, if only
available in hard copy, at the OPP
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S–
4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.),
2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The
hours of operation of this Docket
Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The Docket Facility telephone
number is (703) 305–5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ShaRon Carlisle, Antimicrobials
Division (7510P), Office of Pesticide
Programs, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone
number: (703) 308–6427; fax number:
(703) 308–6467; e-mail address:
carlisle.sharon @epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public
in general, and may be of interest to a
wide range of stakeholders including
environmental, human health, and
agricultural advocates; the chemical
industry; pesticide users; and members
of the public interested in the sale,
distribution, or use of pesticides. Since
others also may be interested, the
Agency has not attempted to describe all
the specific entities that may be affected
by this action. If you have any questions
regarding the applicability of this action
to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare
My Comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this
information to EPA through
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark
the part or all of the information that
you claim to be CBI. For CBI
information in a disk or CD-ROM that
you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the
disk or CD-ROM as CBI and then
identify electronically within the disk or
CD-ROM the specific information that is
claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
21945
includes information claimed as CBI, a
copy of the comment that does not
contain the information claimed as CBI
must be submitted for inclusion in the
public docket. Information so marked
will not be disclosed except in
accordance with procedures set forth in
40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments.
When submitting comments, remember
to:
i. Identify the document by docket ID
number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal
Register date and page number).
ii. Follow directions. The Agency may
ask you to respond to specific questions
or organize comments by referencing a
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part
or section number.
iii. Explain why you agree or disagree;
suggest alternatives and substitute
language for your requested changes.
iv. Describe any assumptions and
provide any technical information and/
or data that you used.
v. If you estimate potential costs or
burdens, explain how you arrived at
your estimate in sufficient detail to
allow for it to be reproduced.
vi. Provide specific examples to
illustrate your concerns and suggest
alternatives.
vii. Explain your views as clearly as
possible, avoiding the use of profanity
or personal threats.
viii. Make sure to submit your
comments by the comment period
deadline identified.
II. Background
A. What Action is the Agency Taking?
EPA is releasing for public comment
its human health and environmental
fate and effects risk assessments and
related documents for formaldehyde/
paraformaldehyde, and soliciting public
comment on risk management ideas or
proposals. Formaldehyde is used for
disinfection of poultry houses and as a
materials preservative for residential
uses. Parformaldehyde is used as a
mildewcide in closets. EPA developed
the risk assessments and risk
characterization for formaldehyde and
paraformaldehyde through a modified
version of its public process for making
pesticide reregistration eligibility and
tolerance reassessment decisions.
Through these programs, EPA is
ensuring that pesticides meet current
standards under the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
and the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by
the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996
(FQPA).
EPA is providing an opportunity,
through this notice, for interested
E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM
23APN1
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
21946
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 23, 2008 / Notices
parties to provide comments and input
on the Agency’s risk assessments for
formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde. Such
comments and input could address, for
example, the availability of additional
data to further refine the risk
assessments, or could address the
Agency’s risk assessment methodologies
and assumptions as applied to this
specific pesticide.
Through this notice, EPA also is
providing an opportunity for interested
parties to provide risk management
proposals or otherwise comment on risk
management for formaldehyde/
paraformaldehyde. Homeowner risks of
concern associated with the use of
formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde are:
Risks from the use of household
products and the use of
paraformaldehyde as mildewicide in
closets. In targeting these risks of
concern, the Agency solicits information
on effective and practical risk reduction
measures.
EPA seeks to achieve environmental
justice, the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people,
regardless of race, color, national origin,
or income, in the development,
implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and
policies. To help address potential
environmental justice issues, the
Agency seeks information on any groups
or segments of the population who, as
a result of their location, cultural
practices, or other factors, may have
atypical, unusually high exposure to
formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde,
compared to the general population.
EPA is applying the principles of
public participation to all pesticides
undergoing reregistration and tolerance
reassessment. The Agency’s Pesticide
Tolerance Reassessment and
Reregistration; Public Participation
Process, published in the Federal
Register on May 14, 2004 (69 FR 26819)
(FRL–7357–9), explains that in
conducting these programs, the Agency
is tailoring its public participation
process to be commensurate with the
level of risk, extent of use, complexity
of the issues, and degree of public
concern associated with each pesticide.
For formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde, a
modified, 4–Phase process with one
comment period and ample opportunity
for public consultation seems
appropriate in view of its refined risk
assessments. However, if as a result of
comments received during this
comment period EPA finds that
additional issues warranting further
discussion are raised, the Agency may
lengthen the process and include a
second comment period, as needed.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:58 Apr 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
All comments should be submitted
using the methods in ADDRESSES, and
must be received by EPA on or before
the closing date. Comments will become
part of the Agency Docket for
formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde.
Comments received after the close of the
comment period will be marked ‘‘late.’’
EPA is not required to consider these
late comments.
B. What is the Agency’s Authority for
Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA, as amended,
directs that, after submission of all data
concerning a pesticide active ingredient,
‘‘the Administrator shall determine
whether pesticides containing such
active ingredient are eligible for
reregistration,’’ before calling in
product-specific data on individual enduse products and either reregistering
products or taking other ‘‘appropriate
regulatory action.’’
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides
and pests, Antimicrobials,
Formaldehyde.
Dated: April 15, 2008.
Frank Sanders,
Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E8–8684 Filed 4–22–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–S
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0193; FRL–8356–1]
HHT Risk Assessments; Notice of
Availability and Risk Reduction
Options
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
availability of EPA’s risk assessments,
and related documents for the pesticide
hexahydro-1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-striazine HHT, and opens a public
comment period on these documents
(Phase 3 of 4–Phase Process). The public
is encouraged to suggest risk
management ideas or proposals to
address the risks identified. EPA is
developing a Reregistration Eligibility
Decision (RED) for HHT through a
modified, 4–Phase public participation
process that the Agency uses to involve
the public in developing pesticide
reregistration decisions. Through this
program, EPA is ensuring that all
pesticides meet current health and
safety standards.
PO 00000
Frm 00047
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Comments must be received on
or before June 23, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
number EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0193, by
one of the following methods:
•
Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
•
Mail: Office of Pesticide
Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460–
0001.
•
Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental
Protection Agency, Rm. S–4400, One
Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S.
Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries
are only accepted during the Docket’s
normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to
4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays). Special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information. The
Docket Facility telephone number is
(703) 305–5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–
0193. EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the docket
without change and may be made
available on-line at https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through regulations.gov or email. The regulations.gov website is an
‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which
means EPA will not know your identity
or contact information unless you
provide it in the body of your comment.
If you send an e-mail comment directly
to EPA without going through
regulations.gov, your e-mail address
will be automatically captured and
included as part of the comment that is
placed in the docket and made available
on the Internet. If you submit an
electronic comment, EPA recommends
that you include your name and other
contact information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM
you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification,
EPA may not be able to consider your
comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form
of encryption, and be free of any defects
or viruses.
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM
23APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21944-21946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8684]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0121; FRL-8360-3]
Formaldehyde/Paraformaldehyde Risk Assessments; Notice of
Availability and Risk Reduction Options
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's risk
assessments, and related documents for the pesticide formaldehyde/
paraformaldehyde, and opens a public comment period on these documents
(Phase 3 of 4-Phase Process). The public is encouraged to suggest risk
management ideas or proposals to address the risks identified. EPA is
developing a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for formaldehyde
and paraformaldehyde through a modified, 4-Phase public participation
process that the Agency uses to involve the public in developing
pesticide reregistration decisions. Through this program, EPA is
ensuring that all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 23, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID)
[[Page 21945]]
number EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0121, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P),
Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South
Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays). Special
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The
Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-
2008-0121. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included
in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or e-
mail. The regulations.gov website is an ``anonymous access'' system,
which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information
unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-
mail comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov,
your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part
of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the
Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic
files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index
available in regulations.gov. To access the electronic docket, go to
https://www.regulations.gov, select ``Advanced Search,'' then ``Docket
Search.'' Insert the docket ID number where indicated and select the
``Submit'' button. Follow the instructions on the regulations.gov
website to view the docket index or access available documents.
Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly
available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted
material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available
only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are
available either in the electronic docket at https://
www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPP
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.),
2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The hours of operation of this
Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703)
305-5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ShaRon Carlisle, Antimicrobials
Division (7510P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 308-6427; fax number: (703) 308-6467; e-
mail address: carlisle.sharon @epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human
health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide
users; and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution,
or use of pesticides. Since others also may be interested, the Agency
has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be
affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through
regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the
information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or
CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket.
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments,
remember to:
i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
ii. Follow directions. The Agency may ask you to respond to
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and
substitute language for your requested changes.
iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information
and/or data that you used.
v. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you
arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be
reproduced.
vi. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns and
suggest alternatives.
vii. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of
profanity or personal threats.
viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period
deadline identified.
II. Background
A. What Action is the Agency Taking?
EPA is releasing for public comment its human health and
environmental fate and effects risk assessments and related documents
for formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde, and soliciting public comment on
risk management ideas or proposals. Formaldehyde is used for
disinfection of poultry houses and as a materials preservative for
residential uses. Parformaldehyde is used as a mildewcide in closets.
EPA developed the risk assessments and risk characterization for
formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde through a modified version of its
public process for making pesticide reregistration eligibility and
tolerance reassessment decisions. Through these programs, EPA is
ensuring that pesticides meet current standards under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality
Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
EPA is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for
interested
[[Page 21946]]
parties to provide comments and input on the Agency's risk assessments
for formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde. Such comments and input could
address, for example, the availability of additional data to further
refine the risk assessments, or could address the Agency's risk
assessment methodologies and assumptions as applied to this specific
pesticide.
Through this notice, EPA also is providing an opportunity for
interested parties to provide risk management proposals or otherwise
comment on risk management for formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde. Homeowner
risks of concern associated with the use of formaldehyde/
paraformaldehyde are: Risks from the use of household products and the
use of paraformaldehyde as mildewicide in closets. In targeting these
risks of concern, the Agency solicits information on effective and
practical risk reduction measures.
EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income, in the development, implementation, and
enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. To help
address potential environmental justice issues, the Agency seeks
information on any groups or segments of the population who, as a
result of their location, cultural practices, or other factors, may
have atypical, unusually high exposure to formaldehyde/
paraformaldehyde, compared to the general population.
EPA is applying the principles of public participation to all
pesticides undergoing reregistration and tolerance reassessment. The
Agency's Pesticide Tolerance Reassessment and Reregistration; Public
Participation Process, published in the Federal Register on May 14,
2004 (69 FR 26819) (FRL-7357-9), explains that in conducting these
programs, the Agency is tailoring its public participation process to
be commensurate with the level of risk, extent of use, complexity of
the issues, and degree of public concern associated with each
pesticide. For formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde, a modified, 4-Phase
process with one comment period and ample opportunity for public
consultation seems appropriate in view of its refined risk assessments.
However, if as a result of comments received during this comment period
EPA finds that additional issues warranting further discussion are
raised, the Agency may lengthen the process and include a second
comment period, as needed.
All comments should be submitted using the methods in ADDRESSES,
and must be received by EPA on or before the closing date. Comments
will become part of the Agency Docket for formaldehyde/
paraformaldehyde. Comments received after the close of the comment
period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider these
late comments.
B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?
Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA, as amended, directs that, after
submission of all data concerning a pesticide active ingredient, ``the
Administrator shall determine whether pesticides containing such active
ingredient are eligible for reregistration,'' before calling in
product-specific data on individual end-use products and either
reregistering products or taking other ``appropriate regulatory
action.''
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Antimicrobials,
Formaldehyde.
Dated: April 15, 2008.
Frank Sanders,
Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E8-8684 Filed 4-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S
