U.S. EPA to revise pesticide export labeling regulations

The U.S.EPA has announced to revise its regulations on pesticide export labeling. This direct final rule corrects the inadvertent removal of a provision that occurred in the January 2013 revisions to these regulations.

By issuing this rule, EPA will restore the provision to allow information required under the regulations to be placed on collateral labeling attached to a shipping container of pesticide products rather than on the immediate package of each individual product in the shipment. Collateral labeling includes bulletins, leaflets, circulars, brochures, data sheets, flyers or other written, printed or graphic matter that is to accompany the product or that is referred to on the label.

If EPA receives no written adverse comments on this direct final rule during the 30-day comment period, the rule will become final after another 60 days. If EPA does receive a written adverse comment, a withdrawal will be published in the Federal Register informing the public that this direct final rule will not take effect.  In that case, EPA would then immediately publish a new proposed rule to seek public comment on the issue(s) raised by the adverse comment(s) received. 

On January 18, 2013, EPA revised its export label regulations in 40 CFR part 168 subpart D concerning the labeling of pesticide products and devices intended solely for export.  Industry stakeholders subsequently expressed concern to EPA that certain labeling provisions no longer appeared in this subpart, and the inability of registrants to use the labeling method allowed in the previous regulations could create trade barriers and increase costs. EPA agreed and is issuing this direct final rule to replace the provision that was inadvertently removed.