Paraquat Dichloride Human Health Mitigation Decision; Notice of Availability, 118 [2016-31832]

Download as PDF 118 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 1 / Tuesday, January 3, 2017 / Notices provide it in the body of your comment. In contrast to EPA’s electronic public docket, EPA’s electronic mail (email) system is not an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system. If you send an email comment directly to the Docket without going through www.regulations.gov, your email address is automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA’s electronic public docket. Dated: December 22, 2016. Gautam Srinivasan, Acting Associate General Counsel. [FR Doc. 2016–31822 Filed 12–30–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OPP–2011–0855; FRL–9955–72] Paraquat Dichloride Human Health Mitigation Decision; Notice of Availability Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces the availability of EPA’s human health mitigation decision for the pesticide paraquat dichloride, case 0262. Registration review is EPA’s periodic review of pesticide registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory standard for registration, that is, that the pesticide can perform its intended function without causing unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that each pesticide’s registration is based on current scientific and other knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment. EPA may pursue mitigation at any time during the registration review process if it finds that a pesticide poses unreasonable adverse effects to human health or the environment. Based on the number and severity of paraquat human health incidents, the EPA believes that the mitigation measures outlined in this human health mitigation decision are necessary to address identified human health risk concerns. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For pesticide specific information, contact: Marianne Mannix, Pesticide ReEvaluation Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone number: (703) 347–0275; sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 22:14 Dec 30, 2016 Jkt 241001 (tsp) can be lethal if ingested and there is no known antidote. Paraquat dichloride is associated with a disproportionately high number of incidents including accidental ingestions typically leading to fatalities as well as occupational spills, splashes, and leaks resulting in severe and often damaging dermal or ocular contact. Paraquat is known to be corrosive to skin and eyes. EPA recently reviewed all available incident information and determined that mitigation measures to I. General Information address these human health risk concerns are necessary. A. Does this action apply to me? In addition to the human health This action is directed to the public mitigation decision document, the in general, and may be of interest to a registration review docket for paraquat wide range of stakeholders including dichloride also includes other relevant environmental, human health, farm documents related to the registration worker, and agricultural advocates; the review of this case. The proposed chemical industry; pesticide users; and human health mitigation decision was members of the public interested in the posted to the docket in March 2016, and sale, distribution, or use of pesticides. the public was invited to submit any Since others also may be interested, the comments or new information. Agency has not attempted to describe all During the 60-day comment period, the specific entities that may be affected comments were received that resulted in by this action. If you have any questions changes to the Agency’s human health regarding the applicability of this action mitigation decision, including that to a particular entity, consult the backpack and hand-held application pesticide specific contact person listed methods will remain, but will require under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION the development of special containers as CONTACT. part of a ‘closed system’ that prevents B. How can I get copies of this document spills, mixing, pouring or other actions that could lead to paraquat exposure. and other related information? Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.58(c), the The docket for this action, identified registration review case docket for by docket identification (ID) number paraquat dichloride will remain open EPA–HQ–OPP–2011–0855, is available until registration review has been at https://www.regulations.gov or at the completed. Office of Pesticide Programs Regulatory Background on the registration review Public Docket (OPP Docket) in the program is provided at: https:// Environmental Protection Agency www2.epa.gov/pesticide-reevaluation. Docket Center (EPA/DC), West William Links to earlier documents related to the Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 registration review of this pesticide are Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC provided at: https://www.epa.gov/ 20460–0001. The Public Reading Room ingredients-used-pesticide-products/ is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., paraquat. Monday through Friday, excluding legal Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, Dated: December 7, 2016. and the telephone number for the OPP Yu-Ting Guilaran, Docket is (703) 305–5805. Please review Director, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division, the visitor instructions and additional Office of Pesticide Programs. information about the docket available [FR Doc. 2016–31832 Filed 12–30–16; 8:45 am] at https://www.epa.gov/dockets. BILLING CODE 6560–50–P email address: Mannix.marianne@ epa.gov. For general information on the registration review program, contact: Richard Dumas, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone number: (703) 308–8015; email address: dumas.richard@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: II. What action is the agency taking? Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.58(c), this notice announces the availability of EPA’s human health mitigation decision for paraquat dichloride, case 0262. Paraquat is a widely used broad spectrum herbicide for the control of weeds in many agricultural and nonagricultural settings. It is also used as a desiccant on crops, prior to harvest. It is classified as restricted use due to high toxicity. An estimated 1.5 teaspoons PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–ORD–2015–0765; FRL–9957–77– ORD] Board of Scientific Counselors Executive Committee; Notification of Public Meeting and Public Comment AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. E:\FR\FM\03JAN1.SGM 03JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31832]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0855; FRL-9955-72]


Paraquat Dichloride Human Health Mitigation Decision; Notice of 
Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's human health 
mitigation decision for the pesticide paraquat dichloride, case 0262. 
Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide registrations 
to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory 
standard for registration, that is, that the pesticide can perform its 
intended function without causing unreasonable adverse effects on human 
health or the environment. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that 
each pesticide's registration is based on current scientific and other 
knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment. 
EPA may pursue mitigation at any time during the registration review 
process if it finds that a pesticide poses unreasonable adverse effects 
to human health or the environment. Based on the number and severity of 
paraquat human health incidents, the EPA believes that the mitigation 
measures outlined in this human health mitigation decision are 
necessary to address identified human health risk concerns.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For pesticide specific information, 
contact: Marianne Mannix, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7508P), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(703) 347-0275; email address: Mannix.marianne@epa.gov.
    For general information on the registration review program, 
contact: Richard Dumas, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7508P), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(703) 308-8015; email address: dumas.richard@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, farm worker, 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 pesticide specific contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How can I get copies of this document and other related information?

    The docket for this action, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0855, is available at https://www.regulations.gov or at the Office of Pesticide Programs Regulatory 
Public Docket (OPP Docket) in the Environmental Protection Agency 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), West William Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 
1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001. The Public 
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPP 
Docket is (703) 305-5805. Please review the visitor instructions and 
additional information about the docket available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

II. What action is the agency taking?

    Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.58(c), this notice announces the 
availability of EPA's human health mitigation decision for paraquat 
dichloride, case 0262. Paraquat is a widely used broad spectrum 
herbicide for the control of weeds in many agricultural and non-
agricultural settings. It is also used as a desiccant on crops, prior 
to harvest. It is classified as restricted use due to high toxicity. An 
estimated 1.5 teaspoons (tsp) can be lethal if ingested and there is no 
known antidote. Paraquat dichloride is associated with a 
disproportionately high number of incidents including accidental 
ingestions typically leading to fatalities as well as occupational 
spills, splashes, and leaks resulting in severe and often damaging 
dermal or ocular contact. Paraquat is known to be corrosive to skin and 
eyes. EPA recently reviewed all available incident information and 
determined that mitigation measures to address these human health risk 
concerns are necessary.
    In addition to the human health mitigation decision document, the 
registration review docket for paraquat dichloride also includes other 
relevant documents related to the registration review of this case. The 
proposed human health mitigation decision was posted to the docket in 
March 2016, and the public was invited to submit any comments or new 
information.
    During the 60-day comment period, comments were received that 
resulted in changes to the Agency's human health mitigation decision, 
including that backpack and hand-held application methods will remain, 
but will require the development of special containers as part of a 
`closed system' that prevents spills, mixing, pouring or other actions 
that could lead to paraquat exposure.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 155.58(c), the registration review case docket 
for paraquat dichloride will remain open until registration review has 
been completed.
    Background on the registration review program is provided at: 
https://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-reevaluation. Links to earlier documents 
related to the registration review of this pesticide are provided at: 
https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/paraquat.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

    Dated: December 7, 2016.
Yu-Ting Guilaran,
Director, Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division, Office of Pesticide 
Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-31832 Filed 12-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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