[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19281-19282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10806]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-66225; FRL 5364-7]


Notice of Voluntarily Cancellation of Ciba Crop Protection 
Registrations of Metalaxyl Technical and End-Use Products that Contain 
Metalaxyl

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the voluntary cancellation of the 
registrations of the active ingredient metalaxyl (N-(2,6-
dimethylphenyl)-N-(methoxyacetyl) alanine methyl ester) and the end-use 
product registrations held by Ciba Crop Protection that contain 
metalaxyl. The cancellation of these metalaxyl registrations was 
requested by Ciba Crop Protection, who holds the only EPA registration 
of Metalaxyl Technical. The cancellation of metalaxyl registrations 
will allow for the full environmental benefit provided by the recent 
registration of mefenoxam and end-use products containing mefenoxam. 
Mefenoxam is the R-enantiomer of metalaxy and at half the application 
rate, and provides the same level of efficacy as metalaxyl. Under an 
agreement reached with the registrant, metalaxyl products can be sold 
until December 31, 1998. The registrant has requested that the Agency 
allow resale and use of the metalaxyl-based end-use products which are 
in the hands of distributors, dealers and growers by December 31, 1998 
until supplies are exhausted.

DATES: Comments associated with this action must be received prior to 
May 31, 1996. The effective date of the cancellation of the 
registrations of Metalaxyl Technical and Ciba Crop Protection end-use 
products containing metalaxyl will be May 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By mail: Connie B. Welch, Product 
Manager 21, Office of Pesticide Programs, Registration Division 
(7505C), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, 
DC 20460. Office location for commercial courier delivery and telephone 
number: Room 227, Crystal Mall No. 2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA, (703) 305-6226; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    Metalaxyl consists of R and S enantiomeric forms at a ration of 
1:1; efficacy studies have shown that the R enantiomer provides the 
majority of the efficacy provided by metalaxyl. Mefenoxam is the R-
enantiomer of metalaxyl and provides the same range and level of 
efficacy as metalaxyl; however, data provided to EPA demonstrates that 
this efficacy is achieved with half the amount of active ingredient 
applied per acre required with the use of metalaxyl. On March 6, 1996, 
EPA granted the conditional time limited registration of the active 
ingredient mefenoxam and 13 end-use products that contain mefenoxam.
    Since metalaxyl is one of the most widely registered and used 
fungicides in the United States with established tolerances in over 120 
crop and livestock commodities and has uses as a seed treatment, as a 
banded or broadcast soil application, and a foliar spray in combination 
with protectant type fungicides, EPA feels that a significant reduction 
in the exposure of the environment to pesticides will be gained with 
the cancellation of metalaxyl and replacement of these uses with 
products containing mefenoxam. The cancellation and phase out of 
products containing metalaxyl will assure that the maximum 
environmental benefit of mefenoxam registration will be achieved.
    Ciba Crop Protection has agreed to end sales of metalaxyl based 
products by December 31, 1998. Since all registered uses of metalaxyl 
based products are replaced by the registration of parallel and 
equivalent mefenoxam based products, there will be no loss of uses and 
no negative impact of minor crops or US agriculture.

II. Intent to Cancel

    The following table list the metalaxyl registrations, listed in 
sequence by registration number, that will be canceled May 31, 1996.


    Table 1. -- Registrations with Pending Requests for Cancellation    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Registration No.       Product Name              Chemical Name        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
000100-00601.......  Metalaxyl Technical  Metalaxyl                     
                                                                        
000100-00607.......  Ridomil 2E           N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                      Fungicide            (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00619.......  Subdue 2E Fungicide  N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00626.......  Apron 2E Fungicide   N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00628.......  Ridomil 5G-          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                      Fungicide            (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00629.......  Ridomil MZ58         Zinc ion and manganese        
                      Fungicide            ethylenebisdithiocarbamate,  
                                           coordination product         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00639.......  Apron 25W Fungicide  N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00658.......  Ridomil/Bravo 81W    Tetrachloroisophthalonitrile  
                      Fungicide                                         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00664.......  Ridomil PC 11-G      Pentachloronitrobenzene       
                      Granular Fungicide                                
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00670.......  Apron + Captan       cis-N-Trichloromethylthio-4-  
                      Fungicide Seed       cyclohexene-1,2-dicarboximide
                      Treatment                                         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00676.......  Subdue Granular      N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                      Fungicide            (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00683.......  Apron + Captan FS    cis-N-Trichloromethylthio-4-  
                      Fungicide Seed       cyclohexene-1,2-dicarboximide
                      Treatment                                         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00713.......  Ridomil PC Granular  Pentachloronitrobenzene       
                      Fungicide                                         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        

[[Page 19282]]

                                                                        
000100-00717.......  Subdue II Fungicide  N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00718.......  Subdue & WSP Turf    N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                      Fungicide            (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00720.......  Ridomil/Copper 70W   Copper hydroxide              
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00735.......  Ridomol 50W          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00738.......  Apron 50W Fungicide  N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00742.......  Pace Fungicide       Zinc ion and manganese        
                                           ethylenebisdithiocarbamate,  
                                           coordination product         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00749.......  Ridomil MZ           Zinc ion and manganese        
                      Fungicide            ethylenebisdithiocarbamate,  
                                           coordination product         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
                                                                        
000100-00767.......  Ridomil MZ 72        Zinc ion and manganese        
                                           ethylenebisdithiocarbamate,  
                                           coordination product         
                                          N-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)-N-     
                                           (methoxyacetyl)alanine,      
                                           methyl ester                 
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Any person adversely affected by this regulation may, within 30 
days after publication of this document in the Federal Register, file 
written objections to the regulation and may also request a hearing on 
those objections. Objections and hearing requests must be filed with 
the Hearing Clerk, at the address given above (40 CFR 178.20). A copy 
of the objections and/or hearing requests filed with the Hearing Clerk 
should be submitted to the OPP docket for this rulemaking. The 
objections submitted to this regulation must specify the provisions of 
the regulation deemed objectionable and the grounds for the objections 
(40 CFR 178.25). Each objection must be accompanied by the fee 
prescribed by [(40 CFR 180.33(I))]. If a hearing is requested, the 
objections must include a statement of the factual issue(s) on which a 
hearing is requested, the requester's contentions on such issues, and a 
summary of any evidence relied upon by the objector (40 CFR 178.27).
    A request for a hearing will be granted if the Administrator 
determines that the material submitted shows the following: There is 
genuine and substantial issue of facts; there is a reasonable 
possibility that available evidence identified by the requester would, 
if established, resolve one or more of such issues in favor of the 
requester, taking into account uncontested claims or facts to the 
contrary; and resolution of the factual issue(s) in the manner sought 
by the requester would be adequate to justify the action requested (40 
CFR 178.32).

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests, Product 
registrations.

    Dated: April 22, 1996.

Stephen L. Johnson,
Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 96-10806 Filed 4-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F