Federal Laws & Regulations

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) as amended  is the federal law which regulates the distribution, sale, and use of pesticides in the United States.  FIFRA grants the states much latitude in regulating pesticides at the state level, provided state law meets or exceeds the federal requirements. (See N.C. Pesticide Law of 1971 and pursuant Regulations above.)

The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40 - Pesticide Programs Subchapter E - Pesticides Programs provides details of the federal requirements established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the authority of FIFRA.

Passage of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA) amended FIFRA to set a new stricter  standard for evaluating food-use pesticides - "reasonable certainty of no harm."  EPA must combine the dietary risk from a specific pesticide with the risk from drinking water and residential exposure.  Also, the cumulative risk of multiple pesticides that have a common mechanism of toxicity must be assessed.  FQPA places a special emphasis on protection of infants and children.

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) requires that production of pesticides and pesticidal devices be conducted in a registered NC Pesticide Producing Establishments. ("Production" includes formulation, packaging, repackaging, and relabeling.) Production in an unregistered establishment is a violation of the law. EPA issues Pesticide-Producing Establishment numbers for facilities where pesticides or pesticide devices are produced. These facilities include foreign establishments that import pesticides and/or devices to the United States.

For more information, call the Pesticide Section, NCDA&CS, (919)733-3556.