[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 143 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48463-48464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-15912]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0311; FRL-11016-01-OCSPP]


Stakeholder Engagement Opportunity for the Safer Choice and 
Design for the Environment (DfE) Programs' Potential Expansion Into New 
Product Categories

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing an 
opportunity for public input on the Safer Choice and Design for the 
Environment (DfE) programs' potential expansion of their certification 
to new product categories. Safer Choice helps consumers, businesses, 
and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that 
are safer for human health and the environment. DfE is a similar 
program currently used by EPA for the purpose of helping consumers and 
commercial buyers identify antimicrobial products that meet the health 
and safety standards of the normal pesticide registration process 
required by the Federal Insecticide,

[[Page 48464]]

Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) as well as other rigorous 
criteria required by the EPA. The Agency will hold a listening session 
webinar and request stakeholder comment on which new product categories 
Safer Choice and DfE could expand into and how the potential expansion 
could offer significant benefits to human health and the environment. 
Safer Choice and DfE certifications would likely not expand to certify 
materials. The availability of EPA certified products would help give 
consumers a choice of products that meet EPA's high standard for human 
and environmental health and, as part of meeting these criteria, would 
not contain intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances 
(PFAS).

DATES: 
    Virtual Listening Session: August 29, 2023, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST. To 
receive the webcast meeting link and audio teleconference information 
before the meeting, you must register by 5 p.m. EST on August 28, 2023.
    Special Accommodations: To allow EPA time to process your request 
for special accommodations, please submit the request on or before 
August 22, 2023.
    Written Comments: Comments must be received on or before September 
11, 2023.

ADDRESSES: 
    Virtual Listening Session: Register online at https://abtassociates.webex.com/weblink/register/r3055e675f25be841c60ff1a37c70118d.
    Special Accommodations: To request accommodation for a disability, 
please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Written Comments: Submit your comments, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0311, through https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to 
be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Additional instructions on 
commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about 
dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Taylor Dunivin, Safer Choice Program 
(7409M), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 566-0580; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Executive Summary

A. Does this action apply to me?

    This is directed to the public in general. This notice may be of 
specific interest to persons who represent relevant industries; 
manufacturers and distributors; colleges and universities; state, 
tribal, and local governments, including U.S. territories and the 
District of Columbia; other federal agencies; community groups; non-
governmental organizations; the public; and international 
organizations.

B. What action is the Agency taking?

    EPA is announcing a stakeholder engagement opportunity through a 
listening session webinar and request stakeholder comment on which new 
product categories Safer Choice and DfE programs could expand into and 
why.
    During the listening session, EPA will give a presentation on the 
Agency's proposed plans to expand Safer Choice and DfE certification to 
new product categories. After the presentation, there will be time for 
attendees to submit questions and comments. The Agency will respond to 
those questions and comments that time allows during the listening 
session and asks for written submission of all comments after the 
listening session.

II. Background

A. What is the Safer Choice program?

    As part of its human health and environmental mission, the Safer 
Choice program partners with businesses to help consumers and 
commercial buyers identify products whose chemical ingredients have met 
EPA's criteria for being ``safer'', without sacrificing quality or 
performance criteria set by EPA. The Safer Choice program certifies 
products containing ingredients that have met the program's specific 
and rigorous human health and environmental toxicological criteria. The 
Safer Choice program allows companies to use its label on certified 
products that contain safer ingredients and perform, as determined by 
expert evaluation. The Safer Choice program certification represents a 
high level of achievement in formulating products made with safer 
ingredients for people and the environment. For more information on the 
Safer Choice program, please see: https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice.

B. What is the DfE program?

    The DfE program is a similar program currently used by EPA for the 
purpose of helping consumers and commercial buyers identify 
antimicrobial products that meet the health and safety standards of the 
normal pesticide registration process required by FIFRA as well as 
meeting the DfE certification criteria (as described in the Safer 
Choice Standard). For more information on the DfE program, please see: 
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-labels/learn-about-design-environment-dfe-certification.

C. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?

    1. Submitting CBI.
    Do not submit Confidential Business Information (CBI) to EPA 
through regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the 
information that you claim to be CBI. In addition to one complete 
version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy 
of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI 
must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so 
marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set 
forth in 40 CFR part 2.
    2. Multimedia submissions.
    Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by 
a written comment. The written comment is considered the official 
comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. 
The EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents 
located outside of the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or 
other file sharing system).
    3. Tips for preparing your comments.
    When preparing and submitting your comments, see the commenting 
tips at https://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html. Please note that 
once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from the docket. 
The EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket.
    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.

    Dated: July 21, 2023.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-15912 Filed 7-26-23; 8:45 am]
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