. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1342 
23 June 2006 
 (06-3081) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd 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 should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Rice, wheat, barley, sugar cane, melon, grapes, and cucurbits.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any 
US trade partners.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of  the notified document:  FINAL NOTICE . 
Potassium Silicate;  Exemption from the Requirement of a Tolerance (Available in English, 5 pages).  
6. Description of content:   
This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of 
potassium silicate in or on all food comm odities when applied/used as a fungicide, 
insecticide or miticide so long as the potassium  silicate is not applied at rates exceeding 
1 per cent by weight in aqueous solutio n and when used in  accordance with good 
agricultural practices. 
Potassium Silicate is approved by the USDA as a fertilizer for conventional agriculture and 
is used on a variety of corps including rice, wheat, barley, sugar cane, melons, grapes, and 
cucurbits. 
It is a synthetic compound that is chemically potassium salt of silicic acid.  It is produced by 
combining pure silica sand (SiO 2) and potash (K 2CO 3 or NaCO 3).  Silicic acid salts (i.e., 
silicates) are the most common form of silicon.  
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [ X ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests   
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   G/SPS/N/USA/1342 
Page 2  
 
  9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Federal Register: 
14 June 2006 (Volume 71, Number 114, Pag es:  34267 - 35272) (Available in English). 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA -PEST/2006/June/Day-14/p8939.htm
  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  This regulation is effective 14 June 2006  
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   
12. Final date for comments:  Objections and requests for hearings must be received on or 
before 14 August 2006.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division(7511P) 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001  
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notifi cation authority, [   ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Ms Deborah Thompson 
United States SPS National Notification Authority 
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Food Safety & Technical Services Division Stop 1027 Washington D.C. 20250 Tel:  202-720-4051 
Fax:  202-690-0677 
E-mail: fstsd@fas.usda.gov