[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10574-10575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5241]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0937;FRL-8400-7]


Para-dichlorobenzene; Issuance of Revised Reregistration 
Eligibility Decision

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's Revised 
Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for the pesticide para-
dichlorobenzene. The Agency's risk assessments and other related 
documents also are available in the Para-dichlorobenzene Docket. Para-
dichlorobenzene is an insecticide; the majority of its pesticidal use 
is as a moth repellant to protect garments from insect damage and in 
and around bird cages for the control of lice and ticks. EPA has 
reviewed para-dichlorobenzene through the public participation process 
that the Agency uses to involve the public in developing pesticide 
reregistration and tolerance reassessment decisions. Through these 
programs, EPA is ensuring that all pesticides meet current health and 
safety standards. A 60-day public comment period was conducted with the 
publication of the para-dichlorobenzene RED in December 2007. The 
comments received primarily concerned the episodic ingestion risk 
estimates. The Agency, in response, revisited the acute oral endpoint 
selection and agreed that there were no effects attributable to a 
single dose, and revised the human health risk assessment and the RED 
accordingly.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Molly Clayton, Special Review and 
Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 603-0522; fax 
number: (703) 308-7070; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of 
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human 
health, and agricultural advocates, the chemical industry, pesticide 
users, and members of the public interested in the sale, distribution, 
or use of pesticides. Since others also may be interested, the Agency 
has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be 
affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the 
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under 
docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0937. Publicly 
available docket materials are available either in the electronic 
docket at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard 
copy, at the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public 
Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal 
Dr., Arlington, VA. The hours of operation of this Docket Facility are 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
    2.  Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register 
document electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal 
Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr.

II. Background

A. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    Under section 4 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is reevaluating existing pesticides to 
ensure that they meet current scientific and regulatory standards. EPA 
completed a RED for the pesticide, para-dichorobenzene, under section 
4(g)(2)(A) of FIFRA. Para-dichlorobenzene is an insecticide registered 
for use on indoor use sites only. It is used as a moth and beetle 
repellant in products which are applied to use sites such as closets 
and storage containers, and to repel lice and mites from bird cages. It 
is also used in empty bee supers (stored indoors), to repel wax moths. 
When formulated into varpal rope, it is used in attics to repel snakes, 
mice, rats, squirrels, and bats. EPA has determined that the database 
to support reregistration is substantially complete and that products 
containing para-dichlorobenzene are eligible for reregistration, 
provided the risks are mitigated in the manner described in the revised 
RED. Upon submission of any required product-specific data under 
section 4(g)(2)(B) of FIFRA and any necessary changes to the 
registration and labeling (either to address concerns identified in the 
RED or as a result of product-specific data), EPA will make a final 
reregistration decision under section 4(g)(2)(C) of FIFRA for products 
containing para-dichlorobenzene.
     The RED document for para-dichlorobenzene was signed on September 
28, 2007. In accordance with the Agency's public participation process, 
a public comment period for the RED was conducted. This comment period 
opened December 12, 2007, and closed February 11, 2008. The comments 
received primarily concerned the episodic ingestion risk estimates. The 
Agency, in response, re-evaluated the acute oral endpoint selection and 
agreed that there were no effects attributable to a single dose, and 
revised the human health risk assessment and the RED accordingly. The 
revisions made to para-dichlorobenzene RED are as follows: The acute 
oral endpoint and the risk estimate for episodic ingestion of mothballs 
were removed, as were the mitigation measures relating to episodic 
ingestion risk; the acute dermal toxicity category was changed from III 
to IV to correct a typographical error; and Table 6, the Summary of 
Labeling Changes, was revised to remove the requirement for special 
packaging of mothballs, and the ``keep out of reach of children'' 
language was modified to be consistent with other chemicals with 
similar warning statements.
     EPA is applying the principles of public participation to all 
pesticides undergoing reregistration and tolerance reassessment. The 
Agency's Pesticide Tolerance Reassessment and Reregistration; Public 
Participation Process, published in the Federal Register on May 14, 
2004 (69 FR 26819) (FRL-7357-9), explains that in conducting these 
programs, EPA is tailoring its public participation process to be 
commensurate with the level of risk, extent of use, complexity of 
issues, and degree of public concern associated

[[Page 10575]]

with each pesticide. Due to its uses, risks, and other factors, para-
dichlorobenzene was reviewed through an expedited single phase RED 
process. Through this process, EPA worked extensively with stakeholders 
and the public to reach the regulatory decisions for para-
dichlorobenzene.
     The reregistration program is being conducted under 
congressionally mandated time frames, and EPA recognizes the need both 
to make timely decisions and to involve the public. The Agency revised 
the para-dichlorobenzene RED to address comments received during the 
public comment period that accompanied the initial RED publication. 
Therefore, the Agency is issuing the revised para-dichlorobenzne RED 
without a comment period.

B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

    Section 4(g)(2) of FIFRA, as amended, directs that, after 
submission of all data concerning a pesticide active ingredient, ``the 
Administrator shall determine whether pesticides containing such active 
ingredient are eligible for reregistration,'' before calling in 
product-specific data on individual end-use products and either 
reregistering products or taking other ``appropriate regulatory 
action.''

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: February 10, 2009.
 Richard P. Keigwin, Jr.,
Director, Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-5241 Filed 3-10-09; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S