Pesticide Residue Regulation

Abstract

Publisher Summary The chapter describes the pesticide regulatory scheme in the United States, relating to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is an international body concerned with the development of international food standards, including maximum limits for pesticide residues in food. In the U.S., the use of pesticides and the establishment of pesticide tolerances are governed by two laws. The use of the pesticides is governed by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. Under this law, all pesticides must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prior to the distribution or sale. Pesticide residue tolerances, that is, the maximum residue concentration legally allowed for a specific pesticide are established by the EPA under the provisions of the Federal, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. While these are two separate laws, in practical effect their provisions are intertwined for the purposes of regulating pesticide residues in food. If the use of a pesticide may reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly, in residues in food, a tolerance or exemption from a tolerance must have been obtained before the pesticide may be registered. In the registration process, the regulatory agency must pass upon all aspects of the use of the pesticide, including dosage rates, methods of application, and pre-harvest intervals, to ensure that any residues are within the tolerance limits.