[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 28, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 44308-44311] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-21822] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OPP-00445; FRL-5390-7] Testing Guidelines; Notice of Availability AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: EPA has established a unified library for Test Guidelines issued by the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS), and is announcing the availability of final testing guidelines for the following two series: Series 830-Product Properties Test Guidelines and Series 860-Residue Chemistry Test Guidelines. Guidelines in these series were peer reviewed on September 27, 1995, by the Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) and have been revised in response to SAP and public comments. This notice also describes the unified library of OPPTS Test Guidelines. The Agency issues Federal Register notices periodically as new test guidelines are added to the OPPTS unified library. ADDRESSES: The guidelines are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 on The Federal Bulletin Board. By modem dial (202) 512-1387, telnet and ftp: fedbbs.access.gpo.gov (IP 162.140.64.19), internet: http://fedbbs.access.gpo.gov, or call (202) 512-1532 for disks or paper copies. The guidelines are also available electronically in ASCII and PDF (portable document format) from the EPA Public Access Gopher (gopher.epa.gov) under the heading ``Environmental Test Methods and Guidelines.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information: By mail: Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) information: Contact the TSCA Hotline at: TAIS/7408, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone number: (202) 554-1404; fax (202) 554- 5603, e-mail: [email protected]. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) information: Contact the Communications Branch (7506C), Field Operations Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone number: (703) 305-5017; fax is (703) 305-5558. For technical questions on series 830: Robert Boethling, (202) 260- 3912, e-mail: [email protected] or Francis Griffith, (703) 305-5826, e-mail: [email protected]. For technical questions on series 860: Randolph Perfetti, (703) 305-5381, e- [[Page 44309]] mail: [email protected] or Richard Loranger, (703) 305- 6912, e-mail: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. EPA's Process for Developing a Unified Library of Test Guidelines EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) has been engaged in a multi-year project to harmonize and/or update test guidelines among the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The goals of the project include the formulation of harmonized OPP and OPPT guidelines for those in common between the two programs, the harmonization of OPPT and/or OPP guidelines with those of the OECD, as well as the updating of any guidelines unique to OPP or OPPT programs. Testing guidelines that are changed substantively in the harmonization process or through other updating/amending activities, or which are new (e.g., for a previously unaddressed testing endpoint) will be made available for public comment by notice in the Federal Register. Additionally, EPA submits substantively revised and new test guidelines to peer review by expert scientific panels. Guidelines which are reformatted but not changed in any substantive way are not made available for public comment or submitted to peer review. All final guidelines will be made available through the GPO Electronic Bulletin Board and the Internet on the EPA Public Access Gopher as a unified library of OPPTS Test Guidelines for use by either EPA program office. Printed versions of the unified library of OPPTS test guidelines will also be available to the public through the GPO. For purposes of this Federal Register notice, ``publication'' of the unified library of guidelines generally describes the availability of these final guidelines through the GPO and Internet. Because harmonization and updating is an ongoing task that will periodically result in modified guidelines, some guidelines being made available via GPO and Internet will be revised in the future. These efforts will ensure that industry is provided with testing guidelines that are current. The test guidelines appearing in the unified library will be given numerical designations that are different from the designations provided at 40 CFR parts 158, 795, 796, 797, 798, and 799. OPPTS test guidelines will be published in 10 disciplinary series as follows: Series 810-Product Performance Test Guidelines Series 830-Product Properties Test Guidelines Series 835-Fate, Transport and Transformation Test Guidelines Series 840-Spray Drift Test Guidelines Series 850-Ecological Effects Test Guidelines Series 860-Residue Chemistry Test Guidelines Series 870-Health Effects Test Guidelines Series 875-Occupational and Residential Exposure Test Guidelines Series 880-Biochemicals Test Guidelines Series 885-Microbial Pesticide Test Guidelines The Agency issues Federal Register notices periodically announcing any new test guidelines added to the OPPTS unified library. As each set of guidelines is published, it will be accompanied by a Master List which cross references the new OPPTS guideline numbers to the original OPP and OPPT numbers. II. OPP and OPPT Procedures Currently, OPP makes its test guidelines available through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) as a series of twelve subdivisions. Explicit test requirements for pesticide registration are set out in 40 CFR part 158 which refers to specific guidelines by guideline number. EPA recommends that the test guidelines available through GPO and Internet be consulted instead of those test guidelines that were published through NTIS. Once final guidelines are available through GPO and Internet earlier guidelines will be removed from NTIS. Studies initiated 45 days or more after final publication should be performed in accordance with the revised guidelines. As test guidelines are published, the Agency will inform industry and the general public by means of Pesticide Registration (PR) Notices as well as Federal Register Notices. In addition, Data Call In letters to pesticide registrants will carry a dual numbering system for test guidelines until all test guidelines have been published. Part 158, which is currently being revised, will also carry a dual numbering system for test guidelines when it is proposed and finalized in the Federal Register. In contrast, OPPT has been publishing its test guidelines in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in 40 CFR parts 795 through 798 and are referenced on a chemical-specific basis in its TSCA section 4 test rules in 40 CFR part 799. Although OPPT is currently evaluating whether to continue to publish its test guidelines in the CFR, OPPT test guidelines and modifications to those test guidelines that have been incorporated by an existing test rule will be retained in the CFR until OPPT announces that it will no longer publish its test guidelines in the CFR. Therefore, to the extent that a manufacturer or processor became subject to a test rule prior to the adoption of a harmonized test guideline, that test rule still requires compliance with the test guideline that was referenced by the test rule and published in the CFR. However, if the manufacturer or processor subject to the test rule is interested in seeking a modification to the requirement to comply with the test guideline that appears in the CFR, and which is incorporated by reference in that test rule, EPA encourages that manufacturer or processor to consult the modification procedures outlined in 40 CFR part 790. EPA has removed, and will continue to remove from the CFR those test guidelines that are no longer incorporated by reference in an existing and applicable test rule. III. Peer Review of Test Guidelines The Agency has updated and harmonized test guidelines for Product Properties (830 series) and Residue Chemistry (series 860) and submitted the revisions to these series to peer review by the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) on September 27, 1995. EPA also made these revised guidelines available to the public for comment through the EPA docket. Guidelines in these series have been revised in response to peer review and public comment. In the 830 series, a comprehensive background guideline (OPPTS 830.1000) was added to provide general guidance on test methods and data reporting and an overview of the use of this series of test guidelines for pesticides. Additional standard test methods as suggested by SAP and public comment were added to individual test guidelines. For the 860 series, the Agency responded to SAP comments by revising the appropriate guidelines. The table ``Raw Agricultural and Processed Commodities and Livestock Feeds Derived from Field Crops'' in OPPTS guideline 860.1000 was also revised as a result of workshops held during the revision process. These workshops involved experts from academia, government, and the pesticide and livestock production industries, thus ensuring that the table is the end product of extensive peer [[Page 44310]] involvement. Additional comments received from the public were mainly editorial in nature and the guidelines were revised as appropriate. Copies of the Agency's comment/response documentation are available through the Public Response and Program Resources Branch and also on the EPA Public Access Gopher. See ``ADDRESSES'' at the beginning of this notice for the mailing address, telephone number, or public access gopher address. The Agency has also updated and harmonized test guidelines for Health Effects (series 870). These guidelines were made available for public comment in June 1996 (61 FR 31522, June 20, 1996) (FRL-5367-7) and will be peer reviewed in October 1996. Harmonized draft test guidelines for OPPTS in Ecological Effects (series 850) and OPPT guidelines in Fate, Transport and Transformation (series 835) were peer reviewed at a SAP meeting on May 29-30, 1996 (61 FR 16486, April 15, 1996) (FRL-5363-1). Final testing guidelines for the following three series: Occupational and Residential Exposure (series 875), Biochemicals (series 880), and Microbial Pesticides (series 885) were made available in March 1996 (61 FR 8279, March 4, 1996) (FRL-4990-3). EPA is also announcing that later in 1996, it intends to make available through GPO and the Internet the Spray Drift test guidelines (series 840) without any substantive changes. In addition, the revised test guidelines for Fate, Transport, and Transformation for application to pesticides (series 835) and Product Performance (series 810) will be made available for public comment during 1996. IV. Notice of Availability of Final Test Guidelines This notice announces the availability of final test guidelines in the 830 and 860 series. The following is the list of guidelines being made available at this time. Series 830--Product Properties Test Guidelines ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Existing Numbers EPA Pub. --------------------------------- no. OPPTS Number Name ---------- OTS OPP OECD 712-C- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 830.1000 Background for product properties none none none 96-310 Group A--Product Identity, Composition, and Analysis Test Guidelines. 830.1550 Product identity and composition none 158.155 none 96-006 830.1600 Description of materials used to none 158.160 none 96-007 produce the product 830.1620 Description of production process none 158.162 none 96-008 830.1650 Description of formulation process none 158.165 none 96-009 830.1670 Discussion of formation of none 158.167 none 96-010 impurities 830.1700 Preliminary analysis none 158.170 none 96-011 830.1750 Certified limits none 158.175 none 96-012 830.1800 Enforcement analytical method none 158.180 none 96-013 830.1900 Submittal of samples none 64-1 none 96-015 Group B--Physical/Chemical Properties Test Guidelines. 830.6302 Color none 63-2 none 96-019 830.6303 Physical state none 63-3 none 96-020 830.6304 Odor none 63-4 none 96-021 830.6313 Stability to normal and elevated none 63-13 none 96-022 temperatures, metals, and metal ions 830.6314 Oxidation/reduction: chemical none 63-14 none 96-023 incompatabiity 830.6315 Flammability none 63-15 none 96-024 830.6316 Explodability none 63-16 none 96-025 830.6317 Storage stability none 63-17 none 96-026 830.6319 Miscibility none 63-19 none 96-027 830.6320 Corrosion characteristics none 63-20 none 96-028 830.6321 Dielectric breakdown voltage none 63-21 none 96-029 830.7000 pH 796.1450 63-12 none 96-030 830.7050 UV/Visible absorption 796.1050 none 101 96-031 830.7100 Viscosity none 63-18 114 96-032 830.7200 Melting point/melting range 796.1300 63-5 102 96-033 830.7220 Boiling point/boiling range 796.1220 63-6 103 96-034 830.7300 Density/relative density/bulk 796.1150 63-7 109 96-035 density 830.7370 Dissociation constants in water 796.1370 63-10 112 96-036 830.7520 Particle size, fiber length, and 796.1520 none 110 96-037 diameter distribution 830.7550 Partition coefficient (n-octanol/ 796.1550 63-11 107 96-038 water), shake flask method 830.7560 Partition coefficient (n-octanol/ 796.1720 63-11 none 96-039 water), generator column method 830.7570 Partition coefficient (n-octanol/ 796.1570 63-11 117 96-040 water), estimation by liquid chromatography 830.7840 Water solubility: Column elution 796.1840 63-8 105 96-041 method; shake flask method 830.7860 Water solubility, generator column 796.1860 63-8 none 96-042 method 830.7950 Vapor pressure 796.1950 63-9 104 96-043 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 44311]] Series 860--Residue Chemistry Test Guidelines ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Existing Numbers EPA Pub. -------------------------------- no. OPPTS Number Name ----------- OTS OPP OECD 712-C- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 860.1000 Background none 170-1 none 95-169 860.1100 Chemical identity none 171-2 none 95-170 860.1200 Directions for use none 171-3 none 95-171 860.1300 Nature of the residue--plants, none 171-4a,b none 95-172 livestock 860.1340 Residue analytical method none 171-4c,d none 95-174 860.1360 Multiresidue method none 171-4m none 95-176 860.1380 Storage stability data none 171-4e none 95-177 860.1400 Water, fish, and irrigated crops none 171-4f,g, none 95-178 h, 165-5 860.1460 Food handling none 171-4i none 95-181 860.1480 Meat/milk/poultry/eggs none 171-4j none 95-182 860.1500 Crop field trials none 171-4k none 95-183 860.1520 Processed food/feed none 171-4l none 95-184 860.1550 Proposed tolerances none 171-6 none 95-186 860.1560 Reasonable grounds in support of none 171-7 none 95-187 the petition 860.1650 Submittal of analytical reference none 171-13 none 95-016 standards 860.1850 Confined accumulation in none 165-1 none 95-188 rotational crops 860.1900 Field accumulation in rotational none 165-2 none 95-189 crops ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- List of Subjects Environmental protection, Test guidelines. Dated: August 21, 1996. Lynn R. Goldman, Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. [FR Doc. 96-21822 Filed 8-27-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-F