Regulatory and Guidance Information by Topic: Pesticides

EPA and the states (usually that state's agriculture office) register or license pesticides for use in the United States.

• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) authorizes EPA to register pesticides.
• Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), EPA establishes tolerances (maximum legally permissible levels) for pesticide residues in food.

• Endangered Species and Pesticides
• Establishments
• Food Quality
• Importing and Exporting
• Labels
• Pesticide Tolerances
• Registration
• Restricted and Canceled Uses
• Storage and Disposal
• Worker Protection

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Endangered Species and Pesticides

See EPA’s Endangered Species Protection Program

Establishments

Establishments that produce pesticides, active ingredients or devices, including companies or establishments that import into the United States, must register and file production reports with EPA.

​Laws and Regulations

• National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP): Pesticide Active Ingredient Production

​Compliance

• Pesticide Establishment Registration and Reporting

Food Quality

See Pesticide Tolerances

Importing and Exporting

• Importing and Exporting Pesticides and Devices
• Pesticides: International Activities

Labels

A critical aspect of registering a pesticide product is the approval of the product label.  Once registered, a pesticide may not legally be used unless the use is consistent with the approved directions for use on the pesticide's labeling.

• Pesticide Product Labels

Pesticide Tolerances

EPA establishes tolerances (maximum legally permissible levels) for pesticide residues in food. Other food quality issues may be regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture.

​Laws and Regulations

• About Pesticide Tolerances
• Pesticides and Food: What the Pesticide Limits are on Food
• The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) Background

Registration

Pesticides must be registered or exempted by EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs before they may be sold or distributed in the United States.

Read more at Pesticide Registration Program.

​Laws and Regulations

• Adverse Effects Reporting
• Good Laboratory Practices Standards
• Pesticides: Incident Reporting: federal law requires registrants of pesticides to inform EPA about harmful effects of their products.
• Pesticide Inert Ingredients
• Reevaluation: Review of Registered Pesticides
• Registering Pesticides
  • Antimicrobial Pesticide Registration
  • Biopesticide Registration
  • Conventional Pesticide Registration
  • Label Review Manual (LRM)

​Policy and Guidance

• Pesticide Registration Manual (Blue Book): describes EPA's review and decision making process for registering a pesticide product and its use.

Restricted and Canceled Uses

EPA registers pesticides and their use on specific pests and under specific circumstances.  In some circumstances, use of a registered pesticide may be restricted to pesticide applicators with special training.  Over time, registered pesticides, or certain uses of a registered pesticide, have been canceled.

• Restricted Use Products (RUP) Report

Storage and Disposal

Pesticides are regulated under FIFRA until they are disposed, after which they are regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) which ensures responsible management of hazardous and nonhazardous waste. Some pesticides are regulated as hazardous waste when disposed.

The Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulates the transport of hazardous materials. Some pesticides are regulated as DOT hazardous materials while in commerce.

​Laws and Regulations

• Requirements for Pesticide Storage
• Requirements for Pesticide Disposal
• Pesticide Containers and Contaminant Rule

Worker Protection 

The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a federal regulation designed to protect employees on farms, forests, nurseries and greenhouses from occupational exposures to agricultural pesticides.

​Laws and Regulations

• Worker Protection Standard (WPS)

​Compliance

• Worker Protection Standard Compliance Monitoring: information about inspections, evaluations and investigations