Now that there is an exemption from a tolerance, is there a formic acid label coming in the U.S.?
 
Bob Roach
 
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
 
40 CFR Part 180
 
[OPP-300451A; FRL-5600-4]
 
 
Formic Acid; Tolerance Exemptions
 
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
 
ACTION: Final rule.
 
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SUMMARY: This regulation establishes exemptions from the requirement of
a tolerance for residues of the pesticide formic acid in or on honey
and beeswax when used to control tracheal mites and suppress varroa
mites in bee colonies and applied in accordance with label directions.
 
DATES: This regulation becomes effective February 22, 1999. Objections
and requests for hearings must be received by EPA on April 23, 1999.
 
<snip> - this part is interesting.
 
I. Response to Comments
 
    There were 12 comments received in response to the notice of filing
of the petition to exempt formic acid from the requirement of a
tolerance. Nine of the commenters urged the Agency to proceed with
registration and to grant the tolerance exemption for formic acid. Most
of the comments which raised questions regarding use of formic acid,
related to the FIFRA registration decision. Although these comments
were not strictly relevant to this tolerance exemption, EPA has
responded to all of the comments below.
    One of these nine commenters expressed concern regarding impacts of
formic acid on short and long-term brood survivability, and potential
absorption into brood nest wax, which might later be rendered and
introduced into the market. It should be noted that in the United
States, brood nest honey and wax are generally recycled in the bee
colony, and not harvested for sale as either liquid or comb honey.
However, if brood nest wax were to be marketed for non-food use, it
would likely be heavily processed due to the marked discoloration of
brood nest wax, thereby reducing potential formic acid residues.
Regarding the brood survivability issue, one commenter submitted a
research report entitled Sublethal Effects of Three Acaricide
Treatments on Honey Bee Colony Development and Honey Production. This
study investigated the effects of fluvalinate, menthol and formic acid
(2 application methods) on colony development and honey production.
Worker bee longevity, colony weight gain, adult bee mortality, brood
viability, sealed brood area, returning foragers, pollen load weight,
and emerged bee weight were not statistically different between
fluvalinate- and formic acid-treated colonies, and control colonies.
Brood viability, adult bee population, returning foragers, and honey
production were not statistically different between menthol- and formic
acid-treated colonies, and control colonies. Queen behavior patterns
and the number of workers attending the queen were not statistically
significant before versus after colonies were treated with formic acid.
There were, however, small, but statistically significant decreases in
bee longevity and sealed brood area in formic acid-treated colonies as
compared to fluvalinate-treated colonies and controls. In addition,
formic acid-treated colonies experienced slightly lower honey
production than either menthol-treated or control colonies. The overall
conclusions of the researcher are that formic acid is not detrimental
to colony development or surplus honey production, and that the
benefits gained from using formic acid to control parasitic bee mites
far outweigh the slight decrease in sealed brood. One commenter urged
the use of spearmint oil, which he considers less invasive, and one
commenter expressed concern that beekeepers do not monitor the presence
or numbers of tracheal mites before or after applying miticides. This
same commenter urged the use of menthol as a less invasive alternative.
The Agency supports the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) wherein
pest population levels are monitored before application of a pesticide,
and actively promotes the adoption of IPM practices using less
environmentally invasive alternatives.
     Based on the information, data, and findings described in the
preamble to the proposed rule, EPA establishes the exemptions from the
requirement of a tolerance as set forth below.
 
<snip>
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