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Pesticide News Story: EBDCs Risk Assessments, Preliminary Risk Reduction Options Available for Comment
In a Federal Register notice published on November 24, 2004, EPA announced the availability of the human health and environmental fate and effects risk assessments, preliminary risk reduction options, and related documents for the ethylenebisdithiocarbamate (EBDC) pesticides mancozeb, maneb, and metiram, and a common degradate, ethylene thiourea (ETU). During a 90-day comment period closing February 22, 2005, the public is encouraged to comment on the risk assessments and suggest risk management ideas or proposals to address the risks identified. EPA plans to complete Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for mancozeb, maneb, and metiram in September 2005.
The EBDCs are broad spectrum contact fungicides used on agricultural crops (vegetables, fruits, and nuts), turf (golf courses and sod farms), and ornamentals (such as cut flowers). Risks of concern exist for residential and recreational exposures, dietary exposure, and occupational exposures. The EBDCs also pose acute ecological risks to aquatic ecosystems and chronic risks to birds and mammals.
EPA requests public comment to further refine the EBDC risk assessments, as well as input on its Preliminary Risk Reduction Options for the EBDCs, as summarized in a document by that name available in the mancozeb, maneb, metiram and ETU docket. Due to the limited risk concerns associated with the EBDCs, EPA is developing the mancozeb, maneb, and metiram REDs using a 4-phase public participation process, with one longer-than-average (90-day) public comment period and ample opportunity for public consultation. During the comment period, the Agency plans to hold a stakeholder meeting to present and discuss EBDC risks and possible risk management options.
For additional information, the November 24, 2004, Federal Register notice is available on EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2004/November/Day-24/p26132.htm. The mancozeb, maneb and metiram risk assessments, Preliminary Risk Reduction Options for the EBDCs, and related documents are available in the Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations.gov #OPP-2004-0078, and will also be available on the Agency’s pesticide reregistration status web page, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm.