Sodium Nitrate in Pesticide Formulations; Exemption From the Requirement of a Tolerance
Key claim: EPA exempts sodium nitrate from pesticide residue tolerance requirements when used as an inert ingredient in remotely detonated fumigant canisters inside sealed warehouses for post-harvest treatment of raw agricultural commodities.
Abstract
(Rule · Environmental Protection Agency) This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of sodium nitrate (CAS Reg. No. 7631-99-4) when used as an inert ingredient (dilutant/oxidizer) in pesticide formulations applied to raw agricultural commodities post-harvest under 40 CFR 180.910, only when used in a fumigant canister that is remotely detonated and released inside a sealed warehouse. AgroFresh Inc. submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) requesting establishment of an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of sodium nitrate, when used in accordance with the terms of this exemption. This action also corrects a typographical error to the CAS Reg. No. of d-Alpha tocopherol. A digit was inadvertently omitted from the previously listed CAS Reg. No., resulting in a number that is not valid and does not represent any chemical.
Why this matters
Tolerance exemptions for inert ingredients like sodium nitrate reduce regulatory and testing burdens for post-harvest fumigant products, potentially lowering costs for warehouse operators and grain handlers without altering permissible residues on the treated commodities. For consumers, the narrow scope (sealed-warehouse use with remote detonation) limits direct food-safety implications, and food prices are unlikely to shift materially. The action fits a broader EPA pattern of case-by-case inert-ingredient exemptions under FFDCA.