. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/263
28 April 2000
(00-1710)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible: Environmental Protection Agency - EPA
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Pesticides
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Notice of filing a pesticide petition
to establish an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for silver sodium hydrogen
zirconium phosphate (4 pages)
5. Description of content:  This notice announces the initial filing of pesticide petitions
proposing the establishment of regulations for residues of certain pesticide chemicals in or
on various food commodities.
EPA has received a supplement to a pesticide petition proposing, pursuant to section 408(d)
of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a(d), to amend 40
CFR part 180 to establish an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for silver
sodium hydrogen zirconium phosphate, when used as an antimicrobial agent at levels up to
2 per cent by weight, in or on polymers used for food-contact surfaces, for the following
applications: containers, tubing, utensils, hardware, filters, appliances, food preparation, or
processing surfaces, food storage devices, coverings, film, packaging (other than foodpackaging regulated exclusively by the Food, and Drug Administration (FDA)), fabrics,
equipment, conveyance, and transport items, and tools.  EPA has determined that the
petition contains data or information regarding the elements set forth in section 408(d)(2)
of the FFDCA; however, EPA has not fully eval uated the sufficiency of the submitted data
at this time, or whether the data supports granting of the petition.  Additional data may beneeded before EPA rules on the petition.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  There are no Codex tolerances for silver.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 65 FR 20968,
19 April 2000 (Available in English)G/SPS/N/USA/263
Page 2
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined.
11. Final date for comments:  19 May 2000.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Environmental Protection Agency.
[    ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Detailed instruction on where
and how to send comments is in the body of the full text - which will be sent upon request
to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
Attn: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone (202) 720-2239
Fax (202) 690-0677
E-mail Address: ofsts@fas.usda.gov