by Mary Ann Rose, Director, Pesticide Safety Education Program OSU Extension
The EPA will be phasing in key restrictions and label changes for paraquat products due to the disproportionately high number of deaths resulting from accidental ingestion of the highly toxic herbicide (17 deaths since 2000). Only certified applicators who complete an EPA-approved paraquat training program will be able to apply the material; direct supervision of uncertified applicators will not be allowed. Applicators must take the online safety training every three years and keep documentation of the training. The pesticide label will be modified to highlight paraquat toxicity, new application restrictions, and training requirements. Packages will feature safety stickers and counter cards with warnings will accompany each purchase. Registrants submitted label changes in March 2018 and will have 12 months from EPA’s label approval date to adopt the new labels.
Closed-system packing will be required for all non-bulk containers (less than 120 gallon). Registrants will submit label changes and new product registrations for the closed system packaging by March, 2019, and will have 12 months from EPA’s label approval date to adopt the closed system packaging.
Registrants will be prohibited from sale or distribution of old labeled product after the deadlines, but persons other than registrants may continue to use/sell existing stocks until exhausted.