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EPA REGISTRATION DIVISION COMPANY NOTICE OF FILING FOR 

PESTICIDE PETITIONS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER 

EPA Registration Division contact: PV Shah, Registration Division (7505P), Office of 

Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 

Washington, DC 20460-001; telephone number: 703-308-1846; email address: 

shah.pv@epa.gov

INSTRUCTIONS: Please utilize this outline in preparing the pesticide petition. In 

cases where the outline element does not apply, please insert “NA-Remove” and 

maintain the outline. Please do not change the margins, font, or format in your 

pesticide petition. Simply replace the instructions that appear in green, i.e., “[insert 

company name],” with the information specific to your action.

TEMPLATE:

BASF Corporation

IN-10814

EPA has received a pesticide petition (IN-10814) from BASF Corporation, 100 

Park Avenue, Florham Park, NJ 07932 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 2-Propenoic 

acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-

04-6 with a minimum average molecular weight (in amu) of 2,000 under 40 CFR 

180.960 when used as an inert ingredient as a dispersant/binder in a pesticide 

formulation without limitation.

EPA has determined that the petition contains data or information regarding the 

elements set forth in section 408 (d)(2) of FDDCA; however, EPA has not fully

evaluated the sufficiency of the submitted data at this time or whether the data supports 

granting of the petition. Additional data may be needed before EPA rules on the petition.

A. Residue Chemistry

1. Plant metabolism. “NA-Remove”

2. Analytical method. “NA-Remove”

3. Magnitude of residues. “NA-Remove”

B. Toxicological Profile
2

The definition of a polymer is given in 40 CFR 723.250(b). The following 

exclusion criteria for identifying these low risk polymers are described in 40 CFR 

723.250(d).

1. 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-

methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6 is a polymer as defined by 40 

CFR 723.250(b). In addition, 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with 

ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6 contains 

at least 3 monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other 

monomer unit or other reactant and consists of a simple weight majority of 

the polymer molecules. The monomer sequences form uninterrupted strings 

in the polymer and distribution of the molecular weight of the polymer is due 

largely to the number of monomer units in the individual molecules.

2. 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-

methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6 consists of a number average 

molecular weight greater than 1,000 daltons and less than 10,000 daltons, 2.8 

- 4.9% of its oligomeric material weighing below 500 daltons and 6.2 – 9.6% 

of its oligomeric material weighing less than 1,000 daltons.

3. 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-

methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6, is not a cationic polymer nor is 

it reasonably anticipated to become a cationic polymer in a natural aquatic 

environment. The polymer does not contain any functional groups which 

would dissociate into a cationic moiety in water. The polymer does not 

contain a net positively charged atom(s) or associated groups of atoms 

covalently linked to its polymer molecule.

4. The polymer contains as an integral part of its composition the atomic 

elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

5. The polymer does not contain as an integral part of its composition, except 

as impurities, any element other than those listed in 40 CFR 723.250(d)(2)(ii).

6. The polymer is neither designed nor can it be reasonably anticipated to 

substantially degrade, decompose, or depolymerize. For the purposes of this 

section, degradation, decomposition, or depolymerization mean those types 

of chemical change that convert a polymeric substance into simpler, smaller 

substances, through processes including but not limited to oxidation, 

hydrolysis, attack by solvents, heat, light, or microbial action.

7. The polymer is manufactured or imported from monomers and/or 

reactants that are already included on the TSCA Chemical Substance 

Inventory or manufactured under an applicable TSCA section 5 exemption.
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8. The polymer is not a water absorbing polymer with a number average 

molecular weight (MW) greater than or equal to 10,000 daltons. 

Additionally, the polymer, 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene 

and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6, also meets as required 

the following exemption criteria specified in 40 CFR 723.250(e). The 

polymer is not designed to be a water-absorbing polymer that is capable of 

absorbing its weight of water.

 Thus, 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-

methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6 meets all the criteria for a polymer to 

be considered low risk under 40 CFR 723.250. Based on its conformance to the 

above criteria, no mammalian toxicity is anticipated from dietary, inhalation, or 

dermal exposure to 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-

methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6.

C. Aggregate Exposure

For the purposes of assessing potential exposure under this exemption, 2-

Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene 

CASRN: 52831-04-6 could be present in all raw and processed agricultural 

commodities and drinking water, and that non-occupational non-dietary exposure 

was possible. The number average MW of 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with 

ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6 is greater than 

1,000 daltons and less than 10,000 daltons. Generally, a polymer of this size would 

be poorly absorbed through the intact gastrointestinal tract or through intact 

human skin. Since 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-

methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6 conforms to the criteria that identify a 

low risk polymer, there are no concerns for risks associated with any potential 

exposure scenarios that are reasonably foreseeable. Therefore a tolerance is not 

necessary to protect the public health.

D. Cumulative Effects

Section 408 (b)(2)(D)(v) of FFDCA requires that, when considering whether 

to establish, modify, or revoke a tolerance or tolerance exemption, ``available 

information'' concerning the cumulative effects of a particular chemical's residues 

and ``other substances that have a common mechanism of toxicity'', must be 

considered. At this time, available data to determine whether 2-Propenoic acid, 

polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6

has a common mechanism of toxicity with other substances is not available. 

Since 2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene 

CASRN: 52831-04-6 meets the definition of a low concern polymer, 2-Propenoic 

acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-

04-6 is not expected to show any cumulative effects. 

E. Safety Determination
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1. U.S. population. Based on the conformance to the criteria used to 

identify a low risk polymer, there is a reasonable certainty of no harm to the U.S. 

population, including infants and children, from aggregate exposure to residues of 

2-Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene 

CASRN: 52831-04-6.

2. Infants and children. Section 408 of the FFDCA provides that EPA 

shall apply an additional tenfold margin of safety for infants and children in the 

case of threshold effects to account for prenatal and postnatal toxicity and the 

completeness of the data base unless EPA concludes that a different margin of 

safety will be safe for infants and children. Due to the expected low toxicity of 2-

Propenoic acid, polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene 

CASRN: 52831-04-6, based on the polymer meeting the definition of a low risk 

polymer under 40 CFR 723.250 a safety factor analysis to assess the risk is not 

necessary. For the same reasons the additional tenfold safety factor is 

unnecessary.

F. International Tolerances

There are no CODEX maximum residue limits established for 2-Propenoic acid, 

polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-6 in or 

on crops or commodities at this time.

G. Other Considerations

1. Endocrine Disruptors: There is no available evidence that 2-Propenoic acid, 

polymer with ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl)benzene CASRN: 52831-04-

6 is an endocrine disruptor.