Reg changes affect buyers

By Staff -- Purchasing, 5/21/1998

* Pesticides. Under the new Food Quality Protection Act, the EPA is charged with reevaluating pesticide residues with an additional safety margin for children's health of 10 times current limits on exposures. Pesticide industry officials are concerned that EPA's use of the 10x standard will deter new product development. The American Crop Protection Association claims that EPA is "using unrealistic, theoretical assumptions" in trying to meet an August 1999 deadline for evaluating the first 3,000 pesticides (organophosphates and carbamates). Crop protection plus pest control in buildings could be affected if the pesticides are not approved, ACPA says. Dr. Ralph Engel, president of the Chemical Specialties Manufacturers Association, says "a lot of new pesticide registrations are not being carried out because the agency is holding them up for this process."

* Respirators. Look for more switching of non-powered respirator buys over the next six months to newer models meeting the revised osha respirator standard. Also expect manufacturers to stop making replacements for older mask and filter canister units. Possible catch to implementation of the reg: The American Iron and Steel Institute and the National Association of Manufacturers have filed separate petitions for judicial review of the reg. None of the filters or respirators in current PPE stock certified under the original 1971 respirator standard will be manufactured after July 11 of this year, although existing inventories can be used after that date, according to osha officials. Except for larger companies with safety and health programs, demand for the new so-called federal code part 84 filters is growing slowly, says spokesman Bruce Clash of the Industrial Safety Equipment Association (isea). "The urgency is not quite there but distributors will soon start making a push to get their customers switched over to the new equipment." (To purchase a guide to selection of non-powered respirators, contact isea, 703-5235-1695, or safety central.org/isea. An official free guide is available from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health 1-800-niosh or cdc.gov/niosh/ homepage.html.)

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