Calcium Carbonate; Exemption From the Requirement of a Pesticide Tolerance
Key claim: EPA is exempting calcium carbonate from pesticide residue tolerance limits on all food commodities when it is used according to label directions and good agricultural practices.
Abstract
(Rule · Environmental Protection Agency) This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of calcium carbonate (CAS # 471-34-1), in or on all food commodities when used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. Columbia River Carbonates, submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of calcium carbonate in or on all food commodities, in accordance with the terms of the exemption.
Why this matters
Tolerance exemptions for low-risk mineral substances like calcium carbonate reduce regulatory and testing burdens on pesticide registrants and users without imposing measurable food-safety costs on consumers. For farmers, it clarifies that residues from calcium carbonate-based pesticide products (a common carrier, pH buffer, and formulation aid) do not require residue monitoring, and it has negligible expected impact on food prices.