.  /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/131
14 August 1998
(98-3183)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Environmental Protection Agency
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited
with the WTO.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):
Pesticides
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:   Guidance of Identifying Pesticides
that have a Common Mechanism of Toxicity;  Notice of Availability and Solicitation of
Public Comments (available in English 2 pages, 13 page attachment).
5. Description of content:  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting
comments on a proposed pesticide policy guidance document entitled "Guidance for
Identifying Pesticide Chemicals that have a Common Mechanism of Toxicity, for Use in
Assessing the Cumulative Toxic Effects of Pesticides".  This guidance document was
developed by EPA in response to the recent amendments to the Federal Insecticide,Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cometic Act
(FFDCA) as promulgated by the Food Qualit y Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).  These
amendments require EPA to consider in their process of determining safety of a given
pesticide the possibility of cumulative toxic effects resulting from aggregate exposure to the
pesticide and other pesticides that are toxic from a common mechanism.  Hence, in
assessing the risk posed by a given pesticide, EPA must also assess the combined risks to
human health that can result from exposure to the pesticide and other pesticides that have acommon mechanism of toxicity.  The guidance document describes the approach that EPA
will use for identifying and categorizing pesticide chemicals that have common mechanisms
of toxicity for purposes of assessing the cumulative toxic effects of such pesticides.
6. Objective and rationale: Human health.
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [ X ].
If an international standard, guideline or  recommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  63 FR 42031,
6 August 1998.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The proposed date of adoption is 30 days after the closing
date for comments.G/SPS/N/USA/131
Page 2
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  The date of entry into force will be upon publication in
the Federal Register of a notice of finalization of the guidance.
11. Final date for comments:  8 September 1998
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Environmental Protection Agency.
12. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [     ] or address, telefax number and
E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250Phone:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail address:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov