An ELI & Sidley Austin LLP Co-Sponsored Webinar
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long governed federal pesticide law under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). FIFRA has a broad reach, overseeing conventional insecticides, but also plant growth regulators, antimicrobial surface disinfectants, pesticide “devices” like germicidal ultraviolet light systems or ozone generators, and more. Currently, EPA has continued to stress FIFRA as a leading priority area in national enforcement guidance.
Under FIFRA, EPA has specific authority to regulate products meant to provide surface disinfection from bacteria, microbes, and viruses. Indeed, products making claims to mitigate SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19, have fallen under intense scrutiny from EPA recently. Meanwhile, the focus on FIFRA compliance issues is increasingly intersecting with EPA’s growing scrutiny of imports to the U.S. Import reviews target traditional pesticide products, and now also center on nontraditional items such as UV lights and air purifiers.
Given these trends, questions are arising over EPA’s enforcement priorities in U.S. pesticide law. What are EPA’s strategies for enforcing federal pesticide law? What new or unexpected directions is the agency focusing on, especially in regards to compliance of nontraditional products, including those created in response to COVID-19? Expert panelists address these questions, provide practical guidance on compliance with FIFRA, and explore FIFRA enforcement priorities.
Panelists:
Andrew R. Stewart, Counsel, Sidley Austin LLP, Moderator
Michael Bellot, Associate Division Director, Waste and Chemical Enforcement Division, Environmental Protection Agency
Carrie L. Daniels, Senior Managing Scientist, Exponent
Royan Teter, Supervisory Life Scientist, Environmental Protection Agency
Joseph T. Zaleski, Associate, Sidley Austin LLP
Materials:
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