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EPA Proposes to Revoke All Carbofuran Tolerances for Domestically Produced and Imported Food

The Environmental Protection Agency has issues a proposed rule to revoke all tolerances for carbofuran for domestically produced and imported foods.

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EPA has determined that all products containing carbofuran generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on humans and the environment and do not meet safety standards, etc.

(Carbofuran is an N-methyl carbamate pesticide registered to control pests in soil and on leaves in a variety of field, fruit, and vegetable crops. Like other pesticides in this class, the primary toxic effect seen following carbofuran exposure is neurotoxicity resulting from inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). No residential uses are registered.)

Comments must be received by September 29, 2008.

Carbofuran Residue Tolerances in Food Would be Revoked

Due to the considerable risks associated with carbofuran in food and drinking water, EPA is proposing to revoke the regulations that allow carbofuran residues in food. Because dietary exposures to infants and children are of particular concern, EPA is moving to revoke carbofuran tolerances1 first, before cancelling carbofuran registrations.

This approach provides the most direct and timely means to realize protection of children from dietary risks. It also allows multiple stakeholders an additional opportunity to comment.

Crops with Current Carbofuran Tolerences

Currently, carbofuran tolerances have been established on the following crops:

alfalfa, freshalfalfa, hayartichoke, globebanana
barley, strawsugar beetsugar beet, topscoffee bean
corn, fresh (including sweet corn)cranberrycorn, stovercucumber
corn, grain (including popcorn)melongrape (raisin)wheat, grain
cotton, undelinted seedoat, strawpepperpotato
raisins, wastesquashrice, grainrice, straw
sorghum, foragestrawberrysorghum, grainsoybean
soybean, haymilksugarcane, canesunflower, seed
barley, graincorn, foragegrapeoat, grain
pumpkinsorghum, foddersoybean, foragewheat, straw

EPA is Taking This, Other Actions, to Cancel Use of Carbofuran

Revoking carbofuran tolerances is part of a broader series of Agency actions to cancel all uses of carbofuran in the U.S. due to human dietary, occupational, and ecological risks of concern. The cancellation process requires the development of several documents, including this proposed tolerance revocation. After moving to revoke carbofuran tolerances, EPA subsequently plans to publish a Notice of Intent to Cancel (NOIC) all carbofuran registrations.

Revocations of Most Tolerances Would be Effective 60 Days after Final Rule Publication

EPA is proposing that the revocations of the tolerances for all commodities except artichoke and sunflower seed become effective 60 days after a final rule is published.

EPA is proposing to establish an extended effective date for artichokes and sunflower seed, to allow growers of these crops additional time to transition to alternative compounds. The revocation for these two tolerances will become effective two years after a final rule or order is published.

1A "tolerance" represents the maximum level for residues of pesticide chemicals legally allowed in or on raw agricultural commodities (including animal feed) and processed foods.

Comments due by 09/29/08.

EPA Contact- Jude Andreasen adreasen.jude@epa.gov

EPA's proposed rule (D/N EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0162, FR Pub 07/31/08) available at http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&d=EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0162-0503

EPA press release on it acting to address carbofuran residues in food (dated 07/24/08) available at http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/85FCF2393445829285257490004B3146

EPA information on the carbofuran cancellation process, NOIC, etc. (current as of 07/24/08) available at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/carbofuran/carbofuran_noic.htmproposal