On January 28, 2016, in docket EPA–HQ–OPP–2015–0302, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted its revised Antimicrobial Pesticides Use Site Index (USI). In the USI, EPA states that it “has developed [the USI] to provide guidance about the antimicrobial pesticide use sites associated with these antimicrobial pesticide use patterns,” and it “is a guidance document to assist applicants in identifying the data that are necessary to support registration of products and to determine if labeled uses necessitate establishment of a tolerance or exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.” EPA also posted a Response to Public Comments which stated that there have been a number of changes based on comments received, specifically from the American Chemistry Council’s Biocides Panel (ACC or Panel) and the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA). These changes include:
- Clarifying that the USI is a guidance document and that the sites in the USI are not intended for use in labeling;
- Simplifying the USI by organizing example use sites into broader groups;
- Using a tabular format to provide examples of use sites organized by food use description (i.e., direct food use, indirect food use, and nonfood use) within each major use pattern category to make it easier to follow;
- Clarifying that “food” is defined under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. Section 321(f), and that definition applies, as appropriate, to all food use descriptions;
- Revising the description of “nonfood use” to provide better clarity;
- Deleting from the USI some example use sites that were ambiguous, too vague, too specific, or incorrectly categorized regarding major use pattern category or food use description; and
- Incorporating many of ACC’s suggestions of specific use sites to include in the materials preservatives and wood preservatives general use pattern categories.
More information regarding the draft USI is available in our blog post EPA Releases Guidance Document: Antimicrobial Pesticides Use Site Index.