Reregistration and Tolerance Reassessment Remain Incomplete for Most Pesticides

GAO discussed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) progress in reregistering pesticides and reassessing pesticide tolerances. GAO found that: (1) despite some progress, EPA was still at a preliminary stage in assessing the risks of older pesticides; (2) EPA has not completely assessed any of the 822 pesticides subject to reregistration; (3) as of December 24, 1988, EPA had issued 194 preliminary assessments; and (4) EPA has completed tolerance reassessments for only 4 of the approximately 387 food-use pesticides subject to reregistration and has completed all tolerance actions for 3 of those 4 pesticides. GAO also found that EPA needs to: (1) establish procedures for reregistering individual products; (2) keep its final regulatory assessments current because of the dynamic nature of pesticide regulation; and (3) enforce label requirements imposed through interim registration standards.