Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 197 / Thursday, October 10, 2024 / Notices 82237 

communication and knowledge base 

within the federal family to fully 

consider potential adverse impact of 

pesticides on efficacy of human and 

animal antibacterial and antifungal 

drugs. 

II. Background 

On September 26, 2023, EPA and the 

other federal agencies issued a 

document entitled ‘‘Concept Note: 

Soliciting Feedback from Stakeholders 

on the Structure of a Proposed 

Framework to Assess the Risk to the 

Effectiveness of Human and Animal 

Drugs Posed by Certain Antibacterial or 

Antifungal Pesticides’’ (88 FR 65998) 

(FRL–11370–01–OCSPP). The concept 

note was intended to be the first step in 

creating a process to improve 

assessments of potential risks to human 

and animal health where the use of 

certain pesticides could potentially 

result in antimicrobial resistance that 

compromises the effectiveness of 

medically important antibacterial and 

antifungal drugs. The concept note 

solicited stakeholder input on the 

proposed structure for the process and 

potential solutions, research, and 

mitigation approaches to reduce the 

spread of resistance. The concept note 

posed several questions about how 

resistance occurs and is spread. The 

Agency received many comments; 

however, very few directly responded to 

the specific charge questions asked by 

the concept paper. The agencies did not 

receive sufficient information to resolve 

the many scientific questions about 

assessing the potential risk of antifungal 

or antibacterial pesticides to adversely 

impact the efficacy of human or animal 

drugs. 

On July 2, 2024, EPA announced the 

availability of and requested comment 

on the draft framework entitled 

‘‘Pesticides; Final White Paper: 

Framework for Interagency 

Collaboration to Review Potential 

Antibacterial and Antifungal Resistance 

Risks Associated with Pesticide Use’’ 

(89 FR 54819) (FRL–11370–03–OCSPP). 

Fourteen comments were received. 

Commenters included grower groups 

(three), industry groups (four), 

consulting groups (one), public interest 

groups (one), human health groups 

(three), animal health group (one), and 

one private citizen. 

These groups raised a number of 

issues. The industry and grower groups 

stressed the benefits of pesticides, the 

need for a transparent process, concerns 

about the research uncertainties, and 

several advocated for EPA to wait to 

take action until the scientific issues are 

more resolved. The health groups were 

concerned about the implications of 

resistance to humans and animals who 

need effective drugs to combat disease. 

All public comments and EPA’s 

responses to comments received, 

including those that do not raise 

significant issues or substantially 

change the proposed requirements, are 

included in Response to Comments 

document that is available in the docket 

for this action. After considering the 

public comments, EPA is issuing the 

Framework. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. 

Dated: September 26, 2024. 

Michal Freedhoff, 

Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical 

Safety and Pollution Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22947 Filed 10–9–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OPP–2023–0288; FRL–11108–02– 

OCSPP] 

Pesticides; Interim Guidance for the 

Evaluation of Products for Claims 

Against Viruses; Notice of Availability 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing 

the availability of interim guidance to 

expand the availability of virucidal 

claims for antimicrobial pesticides and 

provide a framework for registrants who 

seek to make such claims. This interim 

guidance reiterates recommended test 

methods and guidance for the addition 

of virucidal claims to products that meet 

the criteria for hard surface disinfection 

claims and the addition of virucidal 

claims to products that meet the criteria 

for food/non-food contact sanitizer 

claims consistent with current test 

guidelines. This guidance specifically 

covers the addition of a virucidal claim 

to a product that has met the criteria for 

a bactericidal disinfectant and/or 

sanitizer. Pursuant to this guidance, the 

Agency intends to grant the addition of 

virucidal claims associated with 

sanitizer claims for a time-limited 

period of a maximum of ten years. Prior 

to the end of the ten-year period, the 

Agency will review the record and may 

terminate the policy, make suggestions 

for changes to the policy, as necessary, 

or decide to make the policy permanent. 

The methods and performance 

standards applicable to this expanded 

availability of virucidal claims are the 

same test methods and performance 

standards that are currently used to 

support existing virucidal claims and 

thus there are no expectations of a 

reduction of product performance 

against viruses. 

DATES: This interim guidance is 

effective October 10, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: The docket for this action, 

identified by docket identification (ID) 

number EPA–HQ–OPP–2023–0288, is 

available online at https://

www.regulations.gov. Additional 

information about dockets generally, 

along with instructions for visiting the 

docket in-person, is available at https:// 

www.epa.gov/dockets. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Tahirah Morris, Antimicrobial Division 

(7510M), Office of Pesticide Programs, 

Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 

Prevention, Environmental Protection 

Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 

Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone 

number: (202) 566–0798; email address: 

morris.tahirah@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Executive Summary 

A. Does this action apply to me? 

This action is directed to the general 

public and may be of specific interest to 

persons or entities that register 

antimicrobial pesticides. Since a 

potentially broad range of entities may 

be interested in this action, the Agency 

has not attempted to describe all the 

specific entities that may be interested. 

If you have any questions regarding the 

applicability of this interim guidance to 

a particular entity or registration action, 

contact the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

B. What is the Agency’s authority for 

taking this action? 

EPA is issuing this guidance pursuant 

to its authority under the Federal 

Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide 

Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. 

C. What action is the Agency taking? 

EPA is announcing the availability of 

interim guidance to expand the 

availability of virucidal claims for 

antimicrobial pesticides and provide a 

framework for registrants who seek to 

make such claims. The guidance 

document was revised based on the 

public comments received in 2023 (88 

FR 45418, July 17, 2023 (FRL–11108– 

01–OCSPP). EPA received 5 comments, 

which are summarized and responded 

to in a response to comment document 

that is available in the docket. 

This interim guidance reiterates 

recommended test methods and 

guidance for the addition of virucidal 

claims to products that meet the criteria 

for hard surface disinfection claims and 


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82238 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 197 / Thursday, October 10, 2024 / Notices 

the addition of virucidal claims to 

products that meet the criteria for food/ 

non-food contact sanitizer claims 

consistent with current test guidelines. 

This guidance specifically covers the 

addition of a virucidal claim to a 

product that has met the criteria for a 

bactericidal disinfectant and/or 

sanitizer. 

Pursuant to this guidance, the Agency 

intends to grant the addition of 

virucidal claims associated with 

sanitizer claims for a time-limited 

period of a maximum of ten years. Prior 

to the end of the ten-year period, the 

Agency will review the record and may 

terminate the policy, make suggestions 

for changes to the policy, as necessary, 

or decide to make the policy permanent. 

The methods and performance 

standards applicable to this expanded 

availability of virucidal claims are the 

same test methods and performance 

standards that are currently used to 

support existing virucidal claims and 

thus there are no expectations of a 

reduction of product performance 

against viruses. 

II. Background 

Historically, EPA has approved claims 

for efficacy against viruses only as 

additional claims on certain 

antimicrobial products, such as those 

with sterilant and disinfectant claims, 

but not those that bear only sanitizer 

claims. 

This guidance is intended to allow 

registrants to provide consumers with 

additional products that are effective 

against viruses including SARS-CoV–2. 

This guidance reiterates recommended 

test methods and guidance for the 

addition of virucidal claims to products 

that meet the criteria for hard surface 

disinfection claims in OCSPP 810.2200, 

Disinfectants for Use on Environmental 

Surfaces, Guidance for Efficacy Testing. 

Products with only sanitizer claims 

should meet the test guidance 

requirements as described in OCSPP 

810.2300 Sanitizers for Use on Hard 

Surfaces—Efficacy Data 

Recommendations (food or non-food 

contact sanitization) to treat hard, nonporous surfaces before a virucidal claim 

is added pursuant to this guidance. 

Since there will be no changes to the 

test methods or performance standards 

recommended for virus claims, there is 

no concern about a reduced level of 

efficacy against viruses. Products that 

meet the basic criteria to allow for 

sanitizer claims and have data to 

support the addition of virucidal label 

claims pursuant to this guidance, may 

be used in non-healthcare use-sites in 

residential, commercial, and 

institutional settings (e.g., cafeterias 

specifically on hard, non-porous 

surfaces). 

Additional anticipated benefits 

include the availability of more 

products with reduced contact times 

(time the surface must remain wet) and/ 

or more products on EPA’s Design for 

the Environment list that are also 

effective against viruses. The expansion 

of the availability of virucidal claims 

under this guidance will facilitate the 

addition of virus claims to products 

bearing only sanitizer claims. 

III. Do guidance documents contain 

binding requirements? 

As guidance, these documents are not 

binding on the Agency or any outside 

parties, and the Agency may depart 

from it where circumstances warrant 

and without prior notice. While EPA 

has made every effort to ensure the 

accuracy of the discussion in the 

guidance, the obligations of EPA and the 

regulated community are determined by 

statutes, regulations, or other legally 

binding documents. In the event of a 

conflict between the discussion in the 

guidance documents and any statute, 

regulation, or other legally binding 

document, the guidance documents will 

not be controlling. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. 

Dated: October 4, 2024. 

Michal Freedhoff, 

Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical 

Safety and Pollution Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23471 Filed 10–9–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OW–2023–0580; FRL–12332–01– 

OMS] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget for Review 

and Approval; Comment Request; 

Publicly Owned Treatment Works 

(POTW) Influent Per- and 

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 

Study and National Sewage Sludge 

Survey (NSSS) (New) 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) has submitted an 

information collection request (ICR), 

Publicly Owned Treatment Works 

(POTW) Influent Per- and 

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 

Study and National Sewage Sludge 

Survey (NSSS) (EPA ICR Number 

2799.01, OMB Control Number 2040– 

NEW) to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for review and approval 

in accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act. This is a request for 

approval of a new collection. Public 

comments were previously requested 

via the Federal Register on March 26, 

2024 during a 60-day comment period. 

This notice allows for an additional 30 

days for public comments. 

DATES: Comments may be submitted on 

or before November 12, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

referencing Docket ID Number EPA– 

HQ–OW–2023–0580, to EPA online 

using www.regulations.gov (our 

preferred method), by email to OWDocket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA 

Docket Center, Environmental 

Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 

1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 

Washington, DC 20460. EPA’s policy is 

that all comments received will be 

included in the public docket without 

change including any personal 

information provided, unless the 

comment includes profanity, threats, 

information claimed to be Confidential 

Business Information (CBI) or other 

information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. 

Submit written comments and 

recommendations to OMB for the 

proposed information collection within 

30 days of publication of this notice to 

www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 

Find this particular information 

collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 

30-day Review—Open for Public 

Comments’’ or by using the search 

function. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sean Dempsey, Engineering and 

Analysis Division, Office of Science and 

Technology, (4303T), Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 

Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; 

telephone number: 202–564–5088; 

email address: Dempsey.Sean@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

request for approval of a new collection. 

An agency may not conduct or sponsor 

and a person is not required to respond 

to a collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

Public comments were previously 

requested via the Federal Register on 

March 26, 2024 during a 60-day 

comment period (89 FR 20962). This 

notice allows for an additional 30 days 

for public comments. Supporting 

documents, which explain in detail the 

information that the EPA will be 

collecting, are available in the public 

docket for this ICR. The docket can be 

viewed online at www.regulations.gov 

or in person at the EPA Docket Center, 


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