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Soil Fumigants

Regulatory Status of Fumigants

This Web page provides the current regulatory status of the fumigant chemicals, both soil fumigants and fumigants with other uses, such as commodity fumigation. The reregistration process, completed in 2009, was the basis for measures to improve safety in use of the soil fumigants. All the fumigants are in the registration review process. 

On this page:

Reregistration

EPA completed the reregistration process for four soil fumigant pesticides in May 2009:

  • Chloropicrin.
  • Dazomet.
  • Metam sodium/potassium.
  • Methyl bromide.

The safety measures included in the reregistration eligibility decisions for these pesticides establish a baseline for safe use of the soil fumigants throughout the United States, reducing fumigant exposures and significantly improving safety.

The measures described on Implementing Safety Measures apply to all four of these soil fumigants.

One soil fumigant -- 1,3-Dichloropropene (Telone) -- completed reregistration earlier and had a revised risk assessment completed in 2007.

Registration Review

A substantial amount of research is currently under way to address current data gaps and to refine understanding of factors that affect fumigant emissions. Additionally, new technologies to reduce emissions are emerging.

EPA has moved the soil fumigants forward in Registration Review from 2017 to 2013. This will allow EPA to: 

  • consider new data and technologies sooner;
  • determine whether the mitigation included in the reregistration decision is effectively addressing the risks as EPA believes it will; and
  • include other soil fumigants that were not part of the last review.

Soil Fumigant Dockets

EPA’s soil fumigant decision documents and related information are available in the following individual fumigant dockets at Regulations.gov

Reregistration Dockets (REDs) 

Registration Review Dockets

Other Fumigant Dockets

EPA also is conducting registration review for uses of the fumigants other than soil fumigation. 

Contact Us for More Information

Contacts for all fumigant chemicals