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Molinate Voluntary Cancellation Requested
On September 17, EPA issued a Federal Register notice announcing receipt of requests from registrants, Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. and Helm Agro US, Inc., for voluntary cancellation of all of their registered products containing the thiocarbamate herbicide molinate. Molinate is used primarily to control water grass in rice. Rice growers support the requests for voluntary cancellation and for modifications to the terms and conditions of molinate registrations, under which the sale and distribution of all molinate products will decrease during the next five years and use of molinate will end as of August 31, 2009. This phase-down period will allow rice growers time for transition to registered alternatives to molinate and any new alternatives that may be developed. EPA will accept public comment on the proposed cancellation of molinate for 30 days, or until October 17, 2003. Unless significant comments are received, the Agency intends to accept the requests for voluntary cancellation of all molinate products effective June 30, 2008. The terms of the voluntary cancellation request include the following:
- The 2002 sales level of the molinate active ingredient will be the maximum amount that Syngenta and Helm will sell or distribute in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
- Syngenta and Helm may not sell or distribute any more than 75% of the 2002 sales levels in 2007 and 50% in 2008.
- Syngenta and Helm may not sell or distribute any molinate products after June 30, 2008, except the companies will be permitted to distribute the molinate active ingredient in 2009 for purposes of facilitating usage of existing stocks by August 31, 2009.
- No use of products containing molinate will be permitted after the 2009 growing season (August 31, 2009).
- Syngenta and Helm will provide annual production/sales reports to EPA in 2004 through 2009. The companies also will provide inventory reports for 2007, 2008, and 2009. Failure to comply with the sale or distribution limits above constitutes grounds for immediate cancellation of the registration without opportunity for a hearing.
The requests for voluntary cancellation conclude the reregistration process for molinate. The phase-down will achieve a systematic reduction in molinate sales, use, and exposure, and will terminate its use entirely within six years. Meanwhile, it allows rice growers continued access to an important crop production tool during their transition to alternative herbicides.
The Federal Register notice announcing the molinate voluntary cancellation request is available on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr. EPA's molinate preliminary risk assessments and related documents are available at http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reregistration/molinate/.