Pesticides and Risk Communication PPP-52 - Purdue Pesticide ...

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cited as the basis for enforcement actions such as fines, probation,
and license revocation; and it is often questioned why EPA
and its state counterparts do not police pesticide applications
more diligently to deter or identify misuse incidents.
• Pesticide manufacturers are required by law to report (to EPA)
any problems associated with their products. This requirement
facilitates follow-up on products that impact human health and the
environment adversely. But although the law requires manufacturers
to report suspected problems, they are trusted to do so
voluntarily.
An Overview of the
Registration Process
Manufacturers spend millions of dollars on product research, countless
hours working on EPA registrations, and even more energy advertising
in the marketplace. There is infinite pressure on manufacturers to
develop new products and to meet EPA registration requirements. But
their products must generate enough revenue to return the initial
investment and earn profits for the company and its shareholders.
Manufacturers must supply scientific evidence
that a pesticide, when used as directed by
the label, will not injure humans, crops,
livestock, and other nontarget organisms
or the environment, and that it
will not produce illegal residues on or in
food and feed. The steps manufacturers
use to meet these requirements are complex
and lengthy.
Generation of chemicals for screening. Traditionally, companies
have synthesized thousands of novel chemicals for testing every year;
and for every successful new compound they produce, dozens prove
unworthy and are scrapped. The attrition rate has risen sharply over the
years.