[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 114 (Friday, June 13, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32223-32224]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15565]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 157

[OPP-250123; FRL-5720-5]


Ant or Roach Insecticide Bait Stations; Exemption From Adult 
Portion of Child-Resistant Testing Specifications

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Rule related notice.

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SUMMARY: This document grants a 5-year exemption from the senior-adult 
test and younger-adult test effectiveness specifications, described in 
16 CFR 1700.15(b)(2) (Ease of adult opening), for prefilled, 
nonrefillable ant or roach insecticide bait stations not designed or 
intended to be opened or activated in a manner that exposes the 
contents to human contact. Products qualifying for this exemption must 
still fully comply with all other child-resistant packaging (CRP) 
effectiveness, compatibility, and durability standards, as well as all 
other requirements of 40 CFR part 157. CRP certification for products 
relying on this exemption must specify that the package does not comply 
with the senior and younger adult effectiveness specifications per this 
exemption. This exemption was requested by S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., 
which argued that a package that does not require opening or activation 
to put into use should not require adult ease of opening testing.

DATES: This exemption becomes effective on June 13, 1997 and expires on 
June 13, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosalind L. Gross, Registration 
Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Telephone 
number: (703) 308-7368, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. requested an 
exemption from the senior-adult test and younger-adult test 
effectiveness specifications, described in 16 CFR 1700.15(b)(2) (Ease 
of adult opening), for prefilled, nonrefillable ant or roach 
insecticide bait stations that are not designed or intended to be 
opened or activated in a manner that exposes the contents to human 
contact.

I. Background

    FIFRA 25(c)(3) requires EPA's CRP standards to be consistent with 
those of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). EPA's CRP 
regulations at 40 CFR 157.32 require that CRP for pesticides meet the 
CPSC packaging standards (effectiveness specifications) and testing 
procedures set forth in 16 CFR 1700.15(b) and 17000.20. The CPSC Poison 
Prevention Packaging Standards in 16 CFR 1700.15(b) provide that CRP, 
when tested by the method described in 16 CFR 1700.20, shall meet 
certain child-resistant test, senior-adult test, and younger-adult test 
effectiveness specifications. In 16 CFR 1700.15(b)(2), the senior-adult 
test and younger-adult test effectiveness specifications are discussed 
with reference to the senior-adult panel test of 16 CFR 1700.20(a)(3) 
and the younger-adult panel test of 16 CFR 1700.20(a)(4), respectively.
    The EPA CRP regulations provide that exemptions from compliance may 
be requested on a case-by-case basis for specific products based on 
technical factors (40 CFR 157.24(b)(3)). The regulations further 
provide that any such exemption decision will be published in the 
Federal Register, will be for a specified length of time, and will be 
applicable to any product with substantially similar composition and 
intended uses.

II. Requested Grounds for Exemption

    As support for its exemption request, S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. 
advanced the following arguments:
    The purpose of adult testing is to ensure that CRP is not difficult 
for adults to use properly. If CRP is difficult for adults to open, the 
concern arises that the package may be disabled or left unsecured to 
eliminate the difficulty of reopening it. Under such circumstances the 
contents would be accessible to children. In the case of prefilled, 
nonrefillable ant or roach insecticide bait stations not designed or 
intended to be opened, this concern does not arise. There is no risk 
that an adult will disable or fail to resecure a difficult to open 
package, because the packages need not be opened or activated in order 
to function properly. As there is no concern that an adult will disable 
or fail to resecure such a package, there is also no concern that the 
contents of disabled or unsecured packages will be accessible to 
children. Instead, from a child safety standpoint, the only relevant 
question regarding such packages is whether they can prevent a child 
from gaining access to the bait.

III. Agency Determination

    The Agency has considered the S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. exemption 
request and the basis therefore and agrees that it is unnecessary to 
test the ability of a senior-adult or younger-adult to open and 
properly resecure a package not designed or intended to be opened or 
activated. No benefits in terms of improved child safety would be 
gained by such testing. Therefore, the Agency hereby grants a 5-year 
exemption from the senior-adult test and younger-adult test 
effectiveness specifications, described in 16 CFR 1700.15(b)(2) for 
prefilled, nonrefillable ant or roach insecticide bait stations not 
designed or intended to be opened or activated in a manner that exposes 
the contents to human contact. The Agency has authority under 40 CFR 
157.24(b)(3) to grant an exemption from any CRP requirement, including 
the testing requirements, based on technical considerations.

IV. Exemption

    A 5-year exemption is granted from the senior-adult test and 
younger-adult test effectiveness specifications, described in 16 CFR 
1700.15(b)(2), for prefilled, nonrefillable ant or roach insecticide 
bait stations not designed or

[[Page 32224]]

intended to be opened or activated in a manner that exposes the 
contents to human contact. Products that qualify for this exemption 
must fully comply with all other CRP effectiveness, compatibility, and 
durability standards as well as all other requirements of 40 CFR part 
157. CRP certification for products relying on this exemption must 
specify that the package does not comply with the senior and younger 
adult effectiveness specifications per this exemption. This exemption 
becomes effective on June 13, 1997 and expires on June 13, 2002.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 157

    Administrative practice and procedure, Infants and children, 
Packaging and containers, Pesticides and pest, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.
    Dated: June 4, 1997.
James Jones,
Acting Director, Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.

[FR Doc. 97-15565 Filed 6-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F