U.S. EPA is reviewing resmethrin-based products’ cancellations

U.S. EPA is currently reviewing the data supporting resmethrin use as a public health pesticide. A separate Federal Register Notice (FRL-8825-7), announced the receipt of requests to voluntarily cancel those resmethrin products registered for use in wide area mosquito abatement. A number of entities which commented on that notice are currently coordinating to develop a Pest Management Strategic Plan to support the continued registration of resmethrin for public health use. Consequently, certain public health pesticide products containing remethrin have been removed from this final cancellation order and will be addressed separately from other resmethrin products.

IR-4 commented that the number of pesticides available to control mosquitoes is limited, and that temephos is also being voluntarily cancelled at this time. They also commented that the Food Quality Protection Act created mechanisms to prevent public health pesticides from being driven off the market solely due to data needs. They point out that the proposed cancellation is voluntary, driven not by risk but rather by the small market and the high cost of data generation. Finally, IR-4 requests a 15-month moratorium on any regulatory action that would result in the loss of resmethrin or any other active ingredient defined as a public health pesticide by FQPA.

The registrants may continue to sell and distribute existing stocks of products until December 31, 2012.