EPA, October 2008

Soil Fumigant Risk Mitigation Measures

EPA is requiring new safety measures for the soil fumigants chloropicrin, dazomet, metam sodium/metam potassium (including MITC), and methyl bromide. 

New fumigant product labels are expected to appear in the marketplace in January 2010.  Fumigant users will need to comply with the new application and handling requirements. The new rules are designed to protect handlers who apply fumigants, workers who re-enter fumigated fields, and bystanders who may be near the treated area.

EPA is accepting public comment until October 30, 2008, on how to implement the risk mitigation measures. 

Mitigation Measure-Specific Fact Sheets:

As EPA increases restrictions on the use of fumigants, EPA encourages stakeholders affected by this decision to carefully review the proposed mitigation measures and provide productive input on the new restrictions.   The purpose of the reregistration program is to mitigate risks associated with the use of older pesticides while preserving their benefits. 

Soil fumigants are used to kill soil-borne pests in many crops, including potatoes, trees and nursery crops.  EPA reviewed the soil fumigants together as a group to ensure that similar risk assessment tools and methods were used for all and that risk management approaches were consistent.  EPA has determined that the soil fumigants are eligible for reregistration with risk mitigation measures that are designed to work together to increase protections for agricultural workers and bystanders. 

Comments should be detailed and include as much data as possible.  EPA is interested in clear cost analysis illustrating the economic impact of the new Risk Mitigation Measures.  Include pictures, maps, graphs and any other form of data that makes your concerns as clear as possible.  If you have submitted data and comments previously, please resubmit them. Your comments can help the EPA revise these measures into a more workable approach.

To submit comments click: Regulations.gov 
In the search box, copy one of the following docket numbers.  (To read comments submitted by others, click directly on the docket number.)

For more specific details click: Pesticide Reregistration Status Web page.
Chloropicrin
RED (PDF) (128 pp, 1.7 MB, About PDF)
RED Fact Sheet (PDF) (7 pp, 75.63k, About PDF)
Dazomet
RED (PDF) (114 pp, 955 kB, About PDF)
RED Fact Sheet (PDF) (7 pp, 71.9k, About PDF)
Metam Sodium/Potassium and Methyl Isothiocyanate (MITC)
RED (PDF) (142 pp, 2.3 MB, About PDF)
RED Fact Sheet (PDF) (8 pp, 76k, About PDF)
Methyl Bromide
RED (PDF) (117 pp, 1.7 MB, About PDF)
RED Fact Sheet (PDF) (8 pp, 75k, About PDF)
1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D or Telone)
RED (PDF) (203 pp, 3.2 MB, About PDF)

Revised RED Fact Sheet

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