. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1143 
26 October 2005 
 (05-4944) 
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):  Whole and ground spices or other seasoning materials  
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:  NOTICE. Ethylene 
Oxide Risk Assessment; Noti ce of Availability; Reopening of Comment Period (Available 
in English, 2 pages)  
6. Description of content:  This notice reopens the public comment period established in the 
Federal Register of 3 August 2005.  In th at document, EPA made available the human 
health risk assessment for ethylene oxide ( ETO). ETO is a fumigant/sterilant used to 
sterilize medical or laboratory equipment, pharmaceuticals, and aseptic packaging, or to 
reduce microbial load on cosmetics, whole and ground spices or other seasoning materials, 
and artifacts, archival material or library objects.  The Agency developed this risk 
assessment as part of its public process for making pesticide reregistration eligibility and 
tolerance reassessment decisions.  
The Agency received a request by a stakehol der to extend the comment period. EPA is 
hereby reopening the comment period, whic h ended on 3 October 2005.  Comments must 
now be received on or before 18 November 2005.   This extension is being given based on 
the request to have additional time to review  the extensive amount of information provided 
and the nature of the issues involved.  
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/1143 
Page 2  
 
 9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Federal Register: 
19 October 2005 (Volume 70, Number 201)][Pages: 60823-60824], http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA- PEST/2005/October/Day-19/p20821.htm  (Available in 
English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption:   
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  Not Applicable – this is a notice of availability and 
may or may not result in a future regulatory action.  A notice invites the public to submit additional scientific information and comments to the Agency.  
12. Final date for comments:  Comments must be received on or before 18 November 2005 
identified by docket ID number OPP-200 5-0203  
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:  Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508c), 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. Julie Morin, 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@usda.gov