Development of a Non-Animal Testing Strategy for Ocular Hazard Labeling of Some Specific EPA-Regulated Products

More than five thousand regulatory decisions are made annually by the United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), which ensures the safety of the approximately 1,100 active pesticide ingredients found in approximately 19,000 pesticide products used in the US. OPP’s mission is to evaluate the properties of pesticide products to ensure that, if used according to the label, they will be safe for human health and the environment. Thus, safety evaluations are required for both human and environmental health, and all available and relevant scientifically sound information is used to ensure that the best possible regulatory decisions are made.1 Evaluations are made about the safety of “active” ingredients, which include conventional, biochemical, and antimicrobial active ingredients, as well as “inert” ingredients for both foodand non-food use pesticides. However, the data required for registration varies with the type of pesticide chemical being registered, with extensive data submission required for food use pesticides with conventional active ingredients, and lesser requirements for non-food use pesticides and active ingredients.