From Health Canada:

From: California Department of Pesticide Regulation

On January 11, 2011, U.S. EPA released a document entitled, “Determining if a Cleaning Product is a Pesticide Under FIFRA.” U.S. EPA provided examples of cleaning claims it considers to be non-pesticidal, including “cleans or removes stains from algae, mold, mildew or other non-public health organisms.” Products with such claims do not require registration with U.S. EPA.

Effectively immediately, DPR considers labeling claims to control, prevent, mitigate, clean and/or remove (or words meaning the same thing) “mold,” mildew,” “algae,” “fungus” or other organisms to be pesticidal claims. Products with such claims require registration with both U.S. EPA and DPR.

Product labeling claims to control or prevent, (or words meaning the same thing) “mold stains,” “mildew stains,” “algae stains,” “fungal stains” or stains from other organisms are also pesticidal. Products with such claims must be registered with both U.S. EPA and DPR prior to sale and use. The use of the word “control” implies growth which can only take place if the organism itself is present. Similarly, a stain can only be “prevented” by controlling the organism that causes the stain.

Click on the above link for a document outlining the new DPR policy.

From: EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the District Attorney for New York County, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York Office of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), and the New York Office of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), today announced federal criminal charges against two defendants, Chen Yan Huang and Jai Ping Chen, and state criminal charges against 10 defendants, for their respective roles in the illegal distribution and sale of unregistered and misbranded pesticides that were sold out of multiple locations in Manhattan.

The pesticides were particularly dangerous because their packaging and appearance could lead them to be mistaken for cookies or cough medicine. The pesticides were not registered by EPA and were missing required label warnings, so consumers had no way of knowing how dangerous the products were or how best to protect themselves from harmful exposure. In fact, one woman accidentally ingested one of the pesticides, believing it to be medicine, and was hospitalized as a result.

Click on the link above for more information on this case.

From the United States Environmental Protection Agency:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Monsanto Company Inc., of St. Louis, Missouri, has agreed to pay a $2.5 million penalty to resolve misbranding violations related to the sale and distribution of cotton seed products containing genetically engineered pesticides. This is the largest civil administrative penalty settlement ever received under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

“This agreement shows that when a company violates the law by distributing misbranded pesticides, EPA will take action…The regulated community should understand that we take these violations seriously, and the public will accept nothing less than compliance.”

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

From the Sacramento Press:

Near 100 people rallied in front of the Capitol on Monday, opposing a new pesticide containing methyl iodide that could potentially be used at strawberry farms statewide.

The group – made of up farm laborers from around the state, local activists and consumers – marched from Caesar Chavez Park to the south Capitol steps, carrying signs and chanting slogans characterizing the chemical as a “poison.” Methyl iodide, which would be used as a fumigant sprayed onto field soil, is still awaiting approval by state pesticide officials before it can be sold or used in California.

In 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency, registered methyl iodide for pesticide use despite health warnings raised by a group of chemists, including five Nobel laureates.

Several states, including California have yet to enter methyl iodide into their registries of approved pesticides.

According to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, a decision regarding the registration of methyl iodide is expected by January, after the conclusion of an external risk assessment.

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

From Prachatai:

Following the incident surrounding the plant disease “natural disaster” in Kudchum district, Yasothon province, the AAN has compiled further research to raise public awareness about the impacts of carbofuran (Furadan) on the environment and human health. The Alternative Agriculture Network – Esan (AAN) is a network of more than 3,000 small-scale farmers, working to develop sustainable agricultural techniques, support local food systems and community livelihoods. We also monitor agriculture and trade policies at both the domestic and international levels. The continued promotion of chemical fertilizer and pesticide imports is of major concern to our network, given the Thai government’s spoken commitment to supporting small-scale farmers and organic agriculture.

Canada and the EU have banned carbofuran since 2008. The United States Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) recently banned its use, finding that “Exposure to the pesticide carbofuran resulting from existing legal uses is unsafe—unsafe for the general population, and particularly unsafe for infants and children.” Carbofuran commonly causes burns on the skin and eyes of farmers, but there is a range of serious impacts on farmer health. Long-term effects may include permanent damage to both the nervous and reproductive systems.

…It is our understanding that carbofuran is on the government’s “Dangerous Chemicals Watch List.” This dangerous agrochemical should be banned in Thailand and Thailand must work to be a leader in regional food safety. Ending the use of carbofuran will positively address the current public health crisis affecting farmers and ecological systems throughout Thailand.

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: REACH compliance, EU SDS authoring, SDS authoring

From Environmental Leader – EPA Orders Pesticides Tested for Hormone Effects:

The EPA has released the test guidelines and schedule for issuing test orders to manufacturers for 67 chemicals during the next four months. The first seven pesticides that will be screened under the agency’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) are 2,4-D; atrazine, benfluralin, chlorthal-dimethyl (DCPA), fenbutatin oxide, norflurazon and propargite.

Previous Nexreg Post on Oct. 29 – US: EPA Orders Chemical Testing for Hormone Effects

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

The U.S. EPA is moving forward to implement the agency’s May 2009 final rule revoking tolerances, or residue limits, for the pesticide carbofuran. EPA continues to find that dietary exposures to carbofuran from all sources combined are not safe.

“The evidence is clear that carbofuran does not meet today’s rigorous food-safety standards,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “EPA has carefully evaluated the scientific issues and has provided more than 500 days of public comment on this decision. It is now important to move forward with the needed public health protections, especially for children.”

EPA encourages growers to switch from carbofuran to safer pesticides or other environmentally preferable pest control strategies. Since the tolerances are being revoked, EPA reminds growers that carbofuran should not be applied to any food crops after December 31, 2009. Use of carbofuran after this date could result in adulterated food products, which would be subject to enforcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration…

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

From the US Environmental Protection Agency:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the first test orders for pesticide chemicals to be screened for their potential effects on the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interact with and disrupt the hormones produced or secreted by human and animal endocrine systems, which regulate growth, metabolism and reproduction.

“After years of delay, EPA is aggressively moving forward by ordering the testing of a number of pesticide chemicals for hormone effects,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances. “These new data will be carefully evaluated to help identify potential hormone disruptor chemicals.”

Testing, conducted through the agency’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, will eventually expand to cover all pesticide chemicals. Now that screening is under way for the first group of chemicals, EPA is preparing to review the responses, evaluate the data, determine the potential of endocrine interaction, and whether additional testing is necessary to guide further regulation.

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

An annoucement from the EU:

The European Parliament has voted in favour of tightening regulations governing the use of pesticides. MEPs approved two laws that will ban the most dangerous, cancer-causing pesticides throughout the European Union. The new laws will phase out the use of 22 extremely toxic compounds over the coming 10 years. Farmers will have to find an alternative for less toxic substances within five years. The new regulations still have to be approved by the 27 EU governments.

EU lawmakers also banned a number of substances deemed harmful to honeybees in an attempt to reverse the recent dramatic reductions in bee populations throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Many scientists say increased pesticide use is a major factor in the decline of bee populations. Bees are essential for pollination and according to one environmental action group, honeybees are responsible for the pollination of around 80 million tons of food produced in the European Union.

For more information, click on the above link.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: Nexreg, REACH Compliance, EU SDS Authoring.