25b Minimum Risk Pesticides

40 CFR ' 152.25(f) Minimum risk pesticides

• 1. Exempted products.   Products containing the following active ingredients are exempt from the requirements of FIFRA, alone or in combination with other substances listed in this paragraph, provided that all of the criteria of this section are met.
  • o   Castor oil (U.S.P. or equivalent)
  • o   Cedar oil
  • o   Cinnamon and cinnamon oil
  • o   Citric acid
  • o   Citronella and Citronella oil
  • o   Cloves and clove oil
  • o   Corn gluten meal
  • o   Corn oil
  • o   Cottonseed oil
  • o   Dried Blood
  • o   Eugenol
  • o   Garlic and garlic oil
  • o   Geraniol
  • o   Geranium oil
  • o   Lauryl sulfate
  • o   Lemongrass oil
  • o   Linseed oil
  • o   Malic acid
  • o   Mint and mint oil
  • o   Peppermint and peppermint oil
  • o   2-Phenethyl propionate (2-phenylethyl propionate)
  • o   Potassium sorbate
  • o   Putrescent whole egg solids
  • o   Rosemary and rosemary oil
  • o   Sesame (includes ground sesame plant) and sesame oil
  • o   Sodium chloride (common salt)
  • o   Sodium lauryl sulfate
  • o   Soybean oil
  • o   Thyme and thyme oil
  • o   White pepper
  • o   Zinc metal strips (consisting solely of zinc metal and impurities)

• 2. Permitted inerts.   A pesticide product exempt under paragraph (g)(1) of this section may only include inert ingredients listed in the most current List 4A. This list is updated periodically and the current list (7 pp, 78 K, about PDF) is published in Federal Register.

• 3. Other conditions of exemption. All of the following conditions must be met for products to be exempted under this section:

•                                       i.       Each product containing the substance must bear a label identifying the name and percentage (by weight) of each active ingredient and the name of each inert ingredient.
•                                     ii.       The product must not bear claims either to control or mitigate microorganisms that pose a threat to human health, including but not limited to disease transmitting bacteria or viruses, or claims to control insects or rodents carrying specific diseases, including, but not limited to ticks that carry Lyme disease.
•                                    iii.       The product must not include any false and misleading labeling statements, including those listed in 40 CFR 156.10(a)(5)(i) through (viii).

Products Intended for the Control of Public Health Pests Must Be Effective

EPA received a petition from the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) dated March 15, 2006, requesting that the Agency exclude from the minimum risk pesticide exemption those pesticides that claim to control “pests of significant public health importance” and require an abbreviated registration for minimum risk products that are to be used for the control of public health pests. On September 13, 2006, EPA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Availability and Request for Comments on the petition allowing a 60-day comment period. On December 6, 2006, EPA reopened the comment period for an additional 30 days at the request of CropLife America . During the public comment period, the Agency received approximately 60 comments, both in support of and in opposition to the petition.

EPA has analyzed the comments on the petition and concluded that public health products must be supported by evidence that they are effective against the target pest. EPA is now looking at options to ensure that minimum risk public health pesticides that are otherwise exempted from regulation are effective.