Castor Oil Polymer Gets Pesticide Tolerance Exemption from EPA Regs
Published Date: 11/17/2025
Rule
Summary
The EPA just made it official: certain castor oil-based polymers used in pesticides don’t need a safety limit on food or feed. This means farmers, food makers, and pesticide companies can use these ingredients without worrying about residue rules starting November 17, 2025. If anyone wants to object, they have until January 16, 2026, to speak up—no extra costs or delays expected!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Tolerance Exemption Lowers Business Burden
If you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer, EPA established an exemption (effective November 17, 2025) so residues of castor oil, polymer with 2-ethylhexanol, maleic anhydride and soybean oil, sodium salt (CAS No. 3057850-65-1, number average MW 4571) used as an inert ingredient do not need a numerical tolerance on food or feed. EPA also states an analytical enforcement method is not required for this exemption, removing the need to set or test to a maximum permissible residue level.
EPA Finds Polymer Safe On Food
You may eat foods that contain residues of this specified castor-oil polymer because EPA concluded (effective November 17, 2025) there is a "reasonable certainty of no harm" to the U.S. population, including infants and children. EPA noted the polymer (number average MW 4571 Daltons) would be poorly absorbed and meets low‑risk polymer criteria, and it determined no additional safety factor for infants and children is needed.
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