Notice2024-17606
Final Modifications to the Safer Choice Standard and a Provision for a Safer Choice Cleaning Service Certification Program; Notice of Availability
Primary source
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Published
August 8, 2024
Effective
August 8, 2024
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the availability of the final, updated Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard ("the Standard"). This update includes a name change to the title of the Standard, a revision to the packaging criteria, a new certification for cleaning service providers, a new provision allowing for preterm partnership termination under exceptional circumstances, and the addition of several product and functional use class requirements. Safer Choice helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment. DfE is a similar program used by EPA for the purpose of helping consumers and commercial buyers identify antimicrobial products that meet the health and safety standards of the normal pesticide registration process required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) as well as other EPA DfE criteria (as described in the Standard).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 153 (Thursday, August 8, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 153 (Thursday, August 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64915-64916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17606]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0520; FRL-11518-02-OCSPP]
Final Modifications to the Safer Choice Standard and a Provision
for a Safer Choice Cleaning Service Certification Program; Notice of
Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is
announcing the availability of the final, updated Safer Choice and
Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard (``the Standard''). This
update includes a name change to the title of the Standard, a revision
to the packaging criteria, a new certification for cleaning service
providers, a new provision allowing for preterm partnership termination
under exceptional circumstances, and the addition of several product
and functional use class requirements. Safer Choice helps consumers,
businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain
ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment. DfE is
a similar program used by EPA for the purpose of helping consumers and
commercial buyers identify antimicrobial products that meet the health
and safety standards of the normal pesticide registration process
required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) as well as other EPA DfE criteria (as described in the
Standard).
DATES: The Standard is effective August 8, 2024.
ADDRESSES: The docket for this action, identified by docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0520, is available online
at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Additional instructions for visiting
the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is
available at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets">https://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Adams, Safer Choice Program
(7406M), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1201 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington
DC 20004; telephone number: (202) 564-1843; email address:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ffefbfef2ecb1f2faf3fef1f6fadffaeffeb1f8f0e9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5d3c393c302e733038313c3334381d382d3c733a322b">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Executive Summary
A. Does this action apply to me?
You may be affected by this action if you participate in or apply
for certification under the Safer Choice or DfE programs and use or
hope to use the programs' label or logo, respectively, on your
products. Also potentially affected are consumers, institutional
purchasers, retailers, and distributors of Safer Choice- or DfE-
certified products who use the label or logo to identify products that
have met the Agency's safer-product criteria. The following list of
North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes is not
intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide to help readers
determine whether this document applies to them. Affected entities may
include:
<bullet> Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS code
325180);
<bullet> All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (Primary)
(NAICS code 325199);
<bullet> Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing
(NAICS code 325320);
<bullet> Paint and Coating Manufacturing (NAICS code 325510);
<bullet> Adhesive Manufacturing (NAICS code 325520);
<bullet> Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (NAICS code
325611);
<bullet> Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (NAICS code
325612);
<bullet> Surface Active Agent Manufacturing (Primary) (NAICS code
325613);
<bullet> Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (NAICS code 325620);
<bullet> Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemical
Manufacturing (NAICS code 325992);
<bullet> All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation
Manufacturing (NAICS code 325998);
<bullet> Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant
Wholesalers (Primary) (NAICS code 423850);
<bullet> Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers
(Primary) (NAICS code 424690);
<bullet> Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores
(Primary) (NAICS code 445110);
<bullet> All Other Specialty Food Stores (NAICS code 445299);
<bullet> Pharmacies and Drug Stores (NAICS code 446110);
<bullet> Office Supplies and Stationery Stores (NAICS code 453210);
<bullet> All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers (except Tobacco
Stores) (Primary) (NAICS code 453998);
[[Page 64916]]
<bullet> Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses (NAICS code
454110);
<bullet> Research and Development in Biotechnology (except
Nanobiotechnology) (Primary) (NAICS code 541714);
<bullet> Facilities Support Services (NAICS code 561210).
Janitorial Services (NAICS code 561720);
<bullet> Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services (NAICS code
561740);
<bullet> Elementary and Secondary Schools (NAICS code 611110);
<bullet> Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (NAICS
code 611310);
<bullet> Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events
with Facilities (NAICS code 711310);
<bullet> Drycleaning and Laundry Services (NAICS code 8123);
<bullet> Civic and Social Organizations (Primary) (NAICS code
813410);
<bullet> Business Associations (Primary) (NAICS code 813910);
<bullet> Other General Government Support (NAICS code 921190); and
<bullet> Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste
Management Programs (Primary) (NAICS code 924110).
If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this
proposed action to a particular entity, consult the technical
information contact listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. What action is the Agency taking?
In 2023, EPA announced the availability of and sought public
comment on several proposed changes to the existing Standard (88 FR
78017, November 14, 2023 (FRL-11518-01)) and held a public webinar on
December 19, 2023, to present the Agency's proposed plans. EPA received
90 comments, representing 131 organizations or individuals. The
Response to Comments document, which is available in the docket, is a
compilation of the public comments received and EPA's responses. EPA's
responses do not address each comment individually. EPA considered each
comment and organized responses by section of the Standard.
After considering the public comments, EPA is issuing the final,
updated Standard, which is available in the docket and on the Safer
Choice website at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/standard">https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/standard</a>. Revisions
to the Standard serve, in part, to add clarity and transparency.
Notable changes include an update to packaging requirements to respond
to an increased stakeholder interest in more sustainable packaging and
a certification for cleaning service providers that use Safer Choice-
certified products for cleaning and DfE-certified products for
disinfecting.
II. Background
A. What is the Safer Choice program?
As part of its environmental mission, the Safer Choice program
partners with businesses to help consumers and commercial buyers
identify products with safer chemical ingredients, without sacrificing
quality or performance. The Safer Choice program certifies products
containing ingredients that have met the program's specific and
rigorous human health and environmental toxicological criteria. The
Safer Choice program allows companies to use its label on certified
products that contain safer ingredients and perform, as determined by
expert evaluation. The Safer Choice program certification represents a
high level of achievement in formulating products that are safer for
people and the environment. For more information on the Safer Choice
program, please see: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice">https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice</a>.
B. What is the DfE program?
The DfE program is a similar program currently used by EPA for the
purpose of helping consumers and commercial buyers identify
antimicrobial products that meet the health and safety standards of the
normal pesticide registration process required by FIFRA as well as
meeting the DfE certification criteria (as described in the Standard).
For more information on the DfE program, please see: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-labels/learn-about-design-environment-dfe-certification">https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-labels/learn-about-design-environment-dfe-certification</a>.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.
Dated: July 31, 2024.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-17606 Filed 8-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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