Agriculture & Food

EPA exempts sodium nitrate residues in certain post-harvest pesticide uses

🇺🇸United States··Final Rule·Medium Impact·View source ↗

AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.

🇬🇧 English

This rule allows sodium nitrate to be used as an inert ingredient in certain post-harvest pesticide fumigation products without setting a maximum residue limit. The exemption only applies when sodium nitrate is used as a dilutant or oxidizer in a remotely detonated fumigant canister released inside a sealed warehouse. Agricultural producers, food manufacturers, and pesticide manufacturers may be affected. Companies using or making these products should check that the use fits the exact conditions of the exemption. The rule takes effect on June 15, 2026, and objections or hearing requests are due by August 14, 2026.

AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.

Key Changes

  • Creates a tolerance exemption for sodium nitrate residues in a narrow post-harvest pesticide use
  • Limits the exemption to remotely detonated fumigant canisters used inside sealed warehouses
  • Corrects a typographical error in the CAS registry number for d-Alpha tocopherol

Obligations

What this law requires

medium

Use sodium nitrate as an inert ingredient without a tolerance only when it is used as a dilutant or oxidizer in pesticide formulations applied to raw agricultural commodities post-harvest under 40 CFR 180.910.

pesticide manufacturersagricultural producersfood manufacturers
Effective June 15, 2026
operational
high

Ensure the sodium nitrate tolerance exemption is used only in a fumigant canister that is remotely detonated and released inside a sealed warehouse.

pesticide manufacturersagricultural producersfood manufacturers
Effective June 15, 2026
operational
medium

File any objections or hearing requests concerning this EPA final rule in accordance with 40 CFR part 178 by the stated deadline.

parties filing objectionsparties requesting hearings
On or before August 14, 2026
reporting

Affected Parties

Agricultural producersFood manufacturers+1 more…

Tags

pesticides,post-harvest fumigation,sodium nitrate