![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
2-(Thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole; Alkylbenzene Sulfonates; Orthophenylphenol; Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite Reregistration Eligibility Decisions; Notice of Availability
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: September 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 184)]
[Notices]
[Page 55466-55468]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22se06-82]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0694; FRL-8094-4]
2-(Thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole; Alkylbenzene Sulfonates;
Orthophenylphenol; Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite Reregistration
Eligibility Decisions; Notice of Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's Reregistration
Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for the pesticides 2-(Thiocyanomethylthio)
benzothiazole (TCMTB); Alkylbenzene Sulfonates (ABS); Orthophenylphenol
(OPP); Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite and opens a public comment
period on these documents. The Agency's risk assessments and other
related documents also are available in the TCMTB; ABS; OPP; Chlorine
Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite Dockets. TCMTB is used in industrial
premises and residential and public access areas as a materials
preservative; a wood preservative for antisapstain control, and a
microbiocide/microbiostat and bacteriocide/bacteriostat in industrial
processes and water systems. In an agricultural setting, TCMTB is used
as a fungicide applied as a seed treatment. The alkylbenzene sulfonates
are used as food-contact sanitizers in food processing plants and
eating establishments; and as disinfectants and sanitizers for
agricultural, commercial, institutional, industrial, and public access
use sites. OPP is used in applications to hard surfaces, agricultural
premises and equipment, air deodorization, commercial and institutional
premises, medical premises, residential and public access premises, and
materials preservatives and as a fungicide on citrus and pears.
Chlorine dioxide and sodium chlorite are used to control bacteria,
fungi, and algal slimes; applied as a materials preservative and as a
disinfectant in commercial, residential and agricultural settings. EPA
has reviewed TCMTB; ABS; OPP; Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite
through the public participation process that the Agency uses to
involve the public in developing pesticide reregistration and tolerance
reassessment decisions. Through these programs, EPA is ensuring that
all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 21, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number, by one of the following methods: For TCMTB, docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-0320; for ABS, docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-0156; for OPP, docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-0154; and for Chlorine
Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite, docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-
OPP-2006-0328.
? Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://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
Building), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, 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 telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to the following docket ID
numbers: for TCMTB, docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-
0320; for ABS, docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-0156;
for OPP, docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-0154; and
for Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite, docket identification (ID)
number EPA-HQ- OPP-2006-0328. EPA's policy is that all comments
received will be included in the docket without change and may be made
available on-line at http://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 Federal 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.
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 http://www.regulations.gov,
or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPP
Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South
Building), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, 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 telephone number is (703)
305-5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For TCMTB, contact K. Avivah Jakob,
Antimicrobials Division (7510P), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-1328; fax
number: (703) 308-8481; e-mail address: jakob.kathryn@epa.gov.
For ABS, contact Heather Garvie, Antimicrobials Division (7510P),
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number:
(703) 308-0034; fax number: (703) 308-8481; e-mail address:
garvie.heather@epa.gov.
[[Page 55467]]
For OPP, contact Rebecca Miller, Antimicrobials Division (7510P),
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number:
(703) 305-0012; fax number: (703) 308-8481; e-mail address:
miller.rebecca@epa.gov.
For Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite, 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) 308-8481; 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?
Under section 4 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is reevaluating existing pesticides to
ensure that they meet current scientific and regulatory standards. EPA
has completed Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for the
pesticides: TCMTB; ABS; OPP; Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite under
section 4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. TCMTB is used in industrial premises and
residential &public access areas as a materials preservative; a wood
preservative for antisapstain control, and a microbiocide/microbiostat
and bacteriocide/bacteriostat in industrial processes and water
systems. In an agricultural setting, TCMTB is used as a fungicide
applied as a seed treatment. The alkylbenzene sulfonates are used as
food-contact sanitizers in food processing plants and eating
establishments; and as disinfectants and sanitizers for agricultural,
commercial, institutional, industrial, and public access use sites. OPP
is used in applications to hard surfaces, agricultural premises and
equipment, air deodorization, commercial and institutional premises,
medical premises, residential and public access premises, and materials
preservatives and as a fungicide on citrus and pears. Chlorine Dioxide
and Sodium Chlorite are used to control bacteria, fungi, and algal
slimes; applied as a materials preservative and as a disinfectant in
commercial, residential and agricultural settings.
EPA has determined that the data base to support reregistration is
substantially complete and that products containing TCMTB; ABS; OPP;
and Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chloride are eligible for
reregistration, provided the risks are mitigated either in the manner
described in the RED or by another means that achieves equivalent risk
reduction. Upon submission of any required product specific data under
section 4(g)(2)(B) and any necessary changes to the registration and
labeling (either to address concerns identified in the RED or as a
result of product specific data), EPA will make a final reregistration
decision under section 4(g)(2)(C) for products containing TCMTB; ABS;
OPP; Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite.
EPA must review tolerances and tolerance exemptions that were in
effect when the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was enacted in
August 1996, to ensure that these existing pesticide residue limits for
food and feed commodities meet the safety standard established by the
new law. Tolerances are considered reassessed once the safety finding
has been made or a revocation occurs. EPA has reviewed and made the
requisite safety finding for the TCMTB; ABS; OPP; Chlorine Dioxide and
Sodium Chlorite tolerances included in this notice.
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, EPA is tailoring its public participation process to be
commensurate with the level of risk, extent of use, complexity of
issues, and degree of public concern associated with each pesticide.
Due to its uses, risks, and other factors, TCMTB; ABS; OPP; Chlorine
Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite were reviewed through the modified 4-Phase
process. Through this process, EPA worked extensively with stakeholders
and the public to reach the regulatory decisions for TCMTB; ABS; OPP;
Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite.
The reregistration program is being conducted under Congressionally
mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes the need both to make timely
decisions and to involve the public. The Agency is issuing the TCMTB;
ABS; OPP; Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite REDs for public comment.
This comment period is intended to provide an additional opportunity
for public input and a mechanism for initiating any necessary
amendments to the RED.
[[Page 55468]]
All comments should be submitted using the methods in ADDRESSES, and
must be received by EPA on or before the closing date. These comments
will become part of the Agency Docket for TCMTB; ABS; OPP; Chlorine
Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite. Comments received after the close of the
comment period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider
these late comments.
The Agency will carefully consider all comments received by the
closing date and will provide a Response to Comments Memorandum in the
Docket and regulations.gov. If any comment significantly affects the
document, EPA also will publish an amendment to the RED in the Federal
Register. In the absence of substantive comments requiring changes, the
TCMTB; ABS; OPP; Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Chlorite REDs will be
implemented as it is now presented.
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.''
Section 408(q) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA),
21 U.S.C. 346a(q), requires EPA to review tolerances and exemptions for
pesticide residues in effect as of August 2, 1996, to determine whether
the tolerance or exemption meets the requirements of section 408(b)(2)
or (c)(2) of FFDCA. This review was completed by August 3, 2006.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, 2-
(Thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole, Alkylbenzene Sulfonates,
Orthophenylphenol, Chlorine Dioxide, Sodium Chlorite.
Dated: September 13, 2006.
Frank T. Sanders,
Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 06-7959 Filed 9-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S