EPA Greenlights More Pesticide on Apples and Pears
Published Date: 3/11/2025
Rule
Summary
The EPA just set safe limits for metamitron pesticide residues on apples and pears, thanks to a request from ADAMA. This rule kicks in on March 11, 2025, and affects farmers, food makers, and pesticide companies. If anyone wants to object, they have until May 12, 2025, to speak up—no extra costs or delays expected!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Legal residue limit: apples and pears
EPA established legal tolerances for metamitron residues on apple and pear at 0.01 parts per million (ppm). The rule is effective March 11, 2025, and the agency says this action applies to agricultural producers, food manufacturers, and pesticide manufacturers.
EPA safety findings and exposure numbers
EPA concluded metamitron is "Not Likely to Be Carcinogenic to Humans" and determined aggregate exposure is low: acute dietary exposure for infants (<1 year) uses 5.6% of the acute population-adjusted dose (aPAD) and chronic exposure uses 5.3% of the chronic PAD (cPAD). EPA's drinking-water model estimates for apples and pears are: acute 17 ppb (surface) and 19 ppb (ground), chronic 5.3 ppb (surface) and 5.2 ppb (ground); higher sugar-beet surface-water estimates (acute 91 ppb, chronic 61 ppb) were used as protective high-end values in the assessment.
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