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Modified Acrylic Polymer; Notice of Filing a Pesticide Petition to Establish a Tolerance for a Certain Pesticide Chemical in or on Food
[Federal Register: January 14, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 9)] [Notices] [Page 1846-1849] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr14ja03-56] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OPP-2002-0359; FRL-7286-5] Modified Acrylic Polymer; Notice of Filing a Pesticide Petition to Establish a Tolerance for a Certain Pesticide Chemical in or on Food AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces the initial filing of a pesticide petition proposing the establishment of regulations for residues of a certain pesticide chemical in or on various food commodities. DATES: Comments, identified by docket ID number OPP-2002-0359, must be received on or before February 13, 2003. ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail, or through hand delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Treva C. Alston, Registration Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460- 0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8373; e-mail address: alston.treva@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. Does this Action Apply to Me? You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to: ? Crop production (NAICS code 111) ? Animal production (NAICS code 112) ? Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311 ? Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 25532) This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this action. Other types of entities not listed in this unit could also be affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining whether this action might apply to certain entities. 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. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information? 1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this action under docket ID number OPP-2002-0359. The official public docket consists of the documents specifically referenced in this action, any public comments received, and other information related to this action. Although, a part of the official docket, the public docket does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official public docket is the [[Page 1847]] collection of materials that are available for public viewing at the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA. This docket facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The docket telephone number is (703) 305-5805. 2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may use EPA dockets at http://www.regulations.gov/ to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Although, not all docket materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility identified in Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the appropriate docket ID number. Certain types of information will not be placed in the EPA dockets. Information claimed as CBI and other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute, which is not included in the official public docket, will not be available for public viewing in EPA's electronic public docket. EPA's policy is that copyrighted material will not be placed in EPA's electronic public docket but will be available only in printed, paper form in the official public docket. To the extent feasible, publicly available docket materials will be made available in EPA's electronic public docket. When a document is selected from the index list in EPA dockets, the system will identify whether the document is available for viewing in EPA's electronic public docket. Although, not all docket materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility identified in Unit I.B. EPA intends to work towards providing electronic access to all of the publicly available docket materials through EPA's electronic public docket. For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or on paper, will be made available for public viewing in EPA's electronic public docket as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in EPA's electronic public docket. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Public comments submitted on computer disks that are mailed or delivered to the docket will be transferred to EPA's electronic public docket. Public comments that are mailed or delivered to the docket will be scanned and placed in EPA's electronic public docket. Where practical, physical objects will be photographed, and the photograph will be placed in EPA's electronic public docket along with a brief description written by the docket staff. C. How and To Whom Do I Submit Comments? You may submit comments electronically, by mail, or through hand delivery/courier. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket ID number in the subject line on the first page of your comment. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after the close of the comment period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider these late comments. If you wish to submit CBI or information that is otherwise protected by statute, please follow the instructions in Unit I.D. Do not use EPA dockets or e-mail to submit CBI or information protected by statute. 1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic comment as prescribed in this unit, EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in the body of your comment. Also include this contact information on the outside of any disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter accompanying the disk or CD ROM. This ensures that you can be identified as the submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties, or needs further information on the substance of your comment. EPA's policy is that EPA will not edit your comment, and any identifying or contact information provided in the body of a comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA's electronic public docket. 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. i. EPA dockets. Your use of EPA's electronic public docket to submit comments to EPA electronically is EPA's preferred method for receiving comments. Go directly to EPA dockets at http://www.epa.gov/ edocket, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once in the system, select ``search,'' and then key in docket ID number OPP-2002-0359. The system is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means, EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. ii. E-mail. Comments may be sent by e-mail to opp-docket@epa.gov, Attention: Docket ID number OPP-2002-0359. In contrast to EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system is not an ``anonymous access'' system. If you send an e-mail comment directly to the docket without going through EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail addresses that are automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA's electronic public docket. iii. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM that you mail to the mailing address identified in Unit I.C.2. These electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file format. Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 2. By mail. Send your comments to: Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB) (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001, Attention: Docket ID number OPP-2002-0359. 3. By hand delivery or courier. Deliver your comments to: Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA, Attention: Docket ID number OPP-2002-0359. Such deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal hours of operation as identified in Unit I.B.1. D. How Should I Submit CBI To the Agency? Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI electronically through EPA's electronic public docket or by e-mail. You may claim [[Page 1848]] information that you submit to EPA as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as CBI (if you submit CBI on disk or CD ROM, 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 CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes any 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 and EPA's electronic public docket. If you submit the copy that does not contain CBI on disk or CD ROM, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM clearly that it does not contain CBI. Information not marked as CBI will be included in the public docket and EPA's electronic public docket without prior notice. If you have any questions about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, please consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. E. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA? You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments: 1. Explain your views as clearly as possible. 2. Describe any assumptions that you used. 3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that support your views. 4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimate that you provide. 5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns. 6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this notice. 7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation. II. What Action is the Agency Taking? EPA has received a pesticide petition as follows proposing the establishment and/or amendment of regulations for residues of a certain pesticide chemical in or on various food commodities under section 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a. EPA has determined that this petition contains data or information regarding the elements set forth in FFDCA section 408(d)(2); however, EPA has not fully evaluated the sufficiency of the submitted data at this time or whether the data support granting of the petition. Additional data may be needed before EPA rules on the petition. List of Subjects Environmental protection, Agricultural commodities, Feed additives, Food additives, Pesticides and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Dated: January 2, 2003. Peter Caulkins, Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. Summary of Petition The petitioner summary of the pesticide petition is printed below as required by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) section 408(d)(3). The summary of the petition was prepared by Alco Chemical, and represents the view of the petitioner. The petition summary announces the availability of a description of the analytical methods available to EPA for the detection and measurement of the pesticide chemical residues, or an explanation of why no such method is needed. Alco Chemical PP 3E6539 EPA has received a pesticide petition ([3E6539]) from Alco Chemical, 909 Mueller Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37406-0401 proposing, pursuant to section 408(d) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a(d), to revise an existing exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for modified acrylic polymers located in 40 CFR 180.960 EPA has determined that the petition contains data or information regarding the elements set forth in section 408(d)(2) of the FFDCA; however, EPA has not fully evaluated the sufficiency of the submitted data at this time or whether the data supports granting of the petition. Additional data may be needed before EPA rules on the petition. The existing tolerance exemption reads as follows: Acrylic polymers composed of one or more of the following monomers: Acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, hydroxybutyl acrylate, carboxyethyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, hydroxybutyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate, and stearyl methacrylate; with none and/or one or more of the following monomers: Acrylamide, N-methyl acrylamide, N- octylacrylamide, maleic anhydride, maleic acid, monoethyl maleate, diethyl maleate, monooctyl maleate, dioctyl maleate; and their corresponding sodium potassium, ammonium, isopropylamine, triethylamine, monoethanolamine, and/or triethanolamine salts; the resulting polymer having a minimum number average molecular weight (in amu), 1,200. No CAS registry number is associated with the exemption. Alco Chemical Company is requesting that the exemption be revised to include N,N-dimethyl acrylamide by inserting N,N-dimethyl acrylamide between N-methyl acrylamide and N-octyl acrylamide. Magnitude of residues. Alco is petitioning for an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance based upon the polymer's compliance with the Low Risk Polymer criteria per 40 CFR 723.250. Therefore, an analytical method to determine residues in raw agricultural commodities has not been proposed. No residue chemistry data or environmental fate data are presented in the petition as the Agency does not generally require some or all of the listed studies to rule on the exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for a low risk polymer inert ingredient. A. Toxicological Profile The Agency has established a set of criteria which identifies categories of polymers that present low risk. These criteria (described in 40 CFR 723.250) identify polymers that are relatively unreactive and stable compared to other chemical substances, as well as, polymers that typically are not readily absorbed. Alco believes that N,N-dimethyl acrylamide acrylic acid polymers conform to the definition of a polymer given in 40 CFR 723.250 and meets the criteria used to identify a low risk polymer. Alco also believes that based on this substance's conformance to the above mentioned criteria, no mammalian toxicity is anticipated from dietary, inhalation or dermal exposure to emulsion polymers and that emulsion polymers will present minimal or no risk. 1. This polymer is not a cationic substance. 2. It contains as an integral part of its composition the atomic elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. 3. It does not contain as an integral part of its composition, except as impurities, any elements other than those listed in 40 CFR 723.250(d)(2)(ii). [[Page 1849]] 4. This polymer is not designed or reasonably anticipated to substantially degrade, decompose, or depolymerize. 5. It is not manufactured or imported from monomers and/or other reactants that are not already on the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory or manufactured under an applicable TSCA Section 5 exemption. 6. It is not a water absorbing polymer. 7. The minimum average molecular weight of the above mentioned polymer is greater than 10,000. Substances with molecular weights greater than 400 are generally not readily absorbed through the intact skin, and substances with molecular weights greater than 1,000 are generally not absorbed through the intact gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Chemicals not absorbed through the GI tract are generally incapable of eliciting a toxic response. This polymer has an oligomer content less than 2% below MW 500 and less than 5% MW 1,000. Alco believes sufficient information was submitted in the petition to assess the hazards of the N,N-dimethyl acrylamide acrylic acid polymer. No toxicology data were presented in the petition as the Agency does not generally require some or all of the listed studies to rule on the exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for an inert ingredient. Based on this polymer's conforming to the definition of a polymer and meeting the criteria of a low risk polymer under 40 CFR 723.250, Alco believes there are no concerns for risks associated with toxicity. 8. Endocrine disruption. There is no evidence that the polymer is an endocrine disrupter. Substances with molecular weights greater than 400 generally are not absorbed through the intact skin, and substances with molecular weights greater than 1,000 generally are not absorbed through the intact gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Chemicals not absorbed through the skin or GI tract generally are incapable of eliciting a toxic response. B. Aggregate Exposure 1. Dietary exposure. Some modified acrylic polymers may be used in contact with food as components of containers used to manufacture, process, or store food when regulated for such use under the FFDCA. Modified acrylic polymers with a molecular weight greater than 1,000 daltons are not readily absorbed through the intact gastrointestinal tract and are considered incapable of eliciting a toxic response. 2. Non-dietary exposure. Typical uses of modified acrylic polymers are in the inks and coatings and industrial water treatment industries. In these uses the primary exposures are dermal, however, modified acrylic polymers with a molecular weight significantly greater than 400 are not readily absorbed through the intact skin and are considered incapable of eliciting a toxic response. C. Cumulative Effects There is data to support a conclusion of negligible cumulative risk for modified acrylic polymers. Polymers with molecular weights greater than 400 generally are not absorbed through the intact skin, and substances with molecular weights greater than 1,000 generally are not absorbed through the intact gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Chemicals not absorbed through the skin or GI tract generally are incapable of eliciting a toxic response. Therefore, there is no reasonable expectation of increased risk due to cumulative exposure. Based on this polymer conforming to the definition of a polymer and meeting the criteria of a low risk polymer under 40 CFR 723.250, Alco believes there are no concerns for risks associated with cumulative effects. [FR Doc. 03-739 Filed 1-13-03; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-S