. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/USA/2319 
9 January 2012  
 (12-0085) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  US Environmental Protection Agency 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Nut, tree, group 14; pistachio; and nut, pine 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Propylene Oxide;  Proposed Tolerance Actions 
Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  4 
 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-21/html/2011-32655.htm  
6. Description of content:  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
establish the tree nut crop group tolerance a nd separate tolerances on pistachio and pine 
nuts for both the fumigant propylene oxide and the reaction product from the use of 
propylene oxide, known as propylene chlorohydrin, to cover all registered uses on raw and 
processed nuts.  EPA is proposing to establish a group tolerance for residues of propylene oxide in or on nut, tree, group 14 at 300 parts per million (ppm) and for residues of propylene chlorohydrin in or on nut, tree, group 14 at 10.0 ppm.  EPA is also proposing to establish individual tolerances for residues of propylene oxide in or on pistachio at 300 ppm 
and nut, pine at 300 ppm; and for residues of propylene chlorohydrin in or on pistachio at 
10.0 ppm and nut, pine at 10.0 ppm.  Also, in accordance with current Agency practice, 
EPA is proposing minor revisions to to lerance expressions and specific tolerance 
nomenclatures for propylene oxide and propylene chlorohydrin. 
7. 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.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    G/SPS/N/USA/2319 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [ ] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:      
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  EPA is proposing that the establishment of tolerances and revision of 
tolerance expressions and nomenclatures become effective on the date of publication of the 
final rule in the Federal Register. 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  21 February 2012 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  Joseph Nevola, Pesticide Re-evaluation Division (7508P), 
Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmenta l Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 
NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8037; email address: 
nevola.joseph@epa.gov. Please reference docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0253 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   United States 
SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Fore ign Agricultural Service, International 
Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 20250;  Tel:  +(1 
202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.s psenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov