The following terms are defined for the purposes of this subpart:

Active ingredient means any substance (or group of structurally similar substances, if specified by the Agency) that will prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest, or that functions as a plant regulator, desiccant, defoliant, or nitrogen stabilizer, within the meaning of FIFRA sec. 2(b).

End-use product means a pesticide product whose labeling:

(1) Includes directions for use of the product (as distributed or sold, or after combination by the user with other substances) for controlling pests or defoliating, desiccating or regulating growth of plants, or as a nitrogen stabilizer, and

(2) does not state that the product may be used to manufacture or formulate other pesticide products.

Formulation means:

(1) The process of mixing, blending, or dilution of one or more active ingredients with one or more other active or inert ingredients, without an intended chemical reaction, to obtain a manufacturing-use product or an end-use product, or

(2) The repackaging of any registered product.

Impurity means any substance (or group of structurally similar substances if specified by the Agency), in a pesticide product other than an active ingredient or an inert ingredient, including unreacted starting materials, side reaction products, contaminants, and degradation products.

Impurity associated with an active ingredient means:

(1) Any impurity present in the technical grade of active ingredient; and

(2) Any impurity which forms in the pesticide product through reactions between the active ingredient and any other component of the product or packaging of the product.

Inert ingredient means any substance (or group of structurally similar substances if designated by the Agency), other than the active ingredient, which is intentionally included in a pesticide product.

Integrated system means a process for producing a pesticide product that:

(1) Contains any active ingredient derived from a source that is not an EPA-registered product; or

(2) Contains any active ingredient that was produced or acquired in a manner that does not permit its inspection by the Agency under FIFRA sec. 9(a) prior to its use in the process.

Manufacturing-use product means any pesticide product other than an end-use product. A product may consist of the technical grade of active ingredient only, or may contain inert ingredients, such as stabilizers or solvents.

Nominal concentration means the amount of an ingredient which is expected to be present in a typical sample of a pesticide product at the time the product is produced, expressed as a percentage by weight.

Starting material means a substance used to synthesize or purify a technical grade of active ingredient (or the practical equivalent of the technical grade ingredient if the technical grade cannot be isolated) by chemical reaction.

Technical grade of active ingredient means a material containing an active ingredient:

(1) Which contains no inert ingredient, other than one used for purification of the active ingredient; and

(2) Which is produced on a commercial or pilot plant production scale (whether or not it is ever held for sale).

(a) General. Sections 158.100 through 158.130 describe how to use this table to determine the product chemistry data requirements for a particular pesticide product. Notes that apply to an individual test and include specific conditions, qualifications, or exceptions to the designated test are listed in paragraph (f) of the section.

(b) Use patterns. Product chemistry data are required for all pesticide products and are not use-specific.

(c) Test substance. Data requirements that list only the manufacturing-use product as the test substance apply to products containing solely the technical grade of the active ingredient and manufacturing-use products to which other ingredients have been intentionally added.

(d) Key. R = Required; CR = Conditionally required; MP = Manufacturing-use product; NR = Not required; EP = End-use product; TGAI = Technical grade of the active ingredient; PAI = Pure active ingredient.

(e) Table. The following table shows the data requirements for product chemistry. The table notes are shown in paragraph (f) of this section.

(f) Test notes. The following test notes are applicable to the product chemistry data requirements in the table to paragraph (e) of this section:

Information on the composition of the pesticide product must be furnished. The information required by paragraphs (a), (b), and (f) of this section must be provided for each product. In addition, if the product is produced by an integrated system, the information on impurities required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section must be provided.

(a) Active ingredient. The following information is required for each active ingredient in the product:

(1) If the source of any active ingredient in the product is an EPA-registered product:

(i) The chemical and common name (if any) of the active ingredient, as listed on the source product.

(ii) The nominal concentration of the active ingredient in the product, based upon the nominal concentration of active ingredient in the source product.

(iii) Upper and lower certified limits of the active ingredient in the product, in accordance with § 158.350.

(2) If the source of any active ingredient in the product is not an EPA-registered product:

(i) The chemical name according to Chemical Abstracts Society (CAS) nomenclature, the CAS Registry Number, and any common names.

(ii) The molecular, structural, and empirical formulae and the molecular weight or weight range.

(iii) The nominal concentration.

(iv) Upper and lower certified limits of the active ingredient in accordance with § 158.350.

(v) The purpose of the ingredient in the formulation.

(b) Inert ingredients. The following information is required for each inert ingredient (if any) in the product:

(1) The chemical name of the ingredient according to Chemical Abstracts Society nomenclature, the CAS Registry Number, and any common names (if known). If the chemical identity or chemical composition of an ingredient is not known to the applicant because it is proprietary or trade secret information, the applicant must ensure that the supplier or producer of the ingredient submits to the Agency (or has on file with the Agency) information on the identity or chemical composition of the ingredient. Generally, it is not required that an applicant know the identity of each ingredient in a mixture that he uses in his product. However, in certain circumstances, the Agency may require that the applicant know the identity of a specific ingredient in such a mixture. If the Agency requires specific knowledge of an ingredient, it will notify the applicant in writing.

(2) The nominal concentration.

(3) Upper and lower certified limits in accordance with § 158.350.

(4) The purpose of the ingredient in the formulation.

(c) Impurities of toxicological significance associated with the active ingredient. For each impurity associated with the active ingredient that is determined by EPA to be toxicologically significant, the following information is required:

(1) Identification of the ingredient as an impurity.

(2) The chemical name of the impurity.

(3) The nominal concentration of the impurity in the product.

(4) A certified upper limit, in accordance with § 158.350.

(d) Other impurities associated with the active ingredient. For each other impurity associated with an active ingredient that was found to be present in any sample at a level ≥0.1 percent by weight of the technical grade active ingredient the following information is required:

(1) Identification of the ingredient as an impurity.

(2) The chemical name of the impurity.

(3) The nominal concentration of the impurity in the final product.

(e) Impurities associated with an inert ingredient. [Reserved]

(f) Ingredients that cannot be characterized. If the identity of any ingredient or impurity cannot be specified as a discrete chemical substance (such as mixtures that cannot be characterized or isomer mixtures), the applicant must provide sufficient information to enable EPA to identify its source and qualitative composition.

The following information must be submitted on the materials used to produce the product:

(a) Products not produced by an integrated system. (1) For each active ingredient that is derived from an EPA-registered product:

(i) The name of the EPA-registered product.

(ii) The EPA registration number of that product.

(2) For each inert ingredient:

(i) Each brand name, trade name, common name, or other commercial designation of the ingredient.

(ii) All information that the applicant knows (or that is reasonably available to him) concerning the composition (and, if requested by the Agency, chemical and physical properties) of the ingredient, including a copy of technical specifications, data sheets, or other documents describing the ingredient.

(iii) If requested by the Agency, the name and address of the producer of the ingredient or, if that information is not known to the applicant, the name and address of the supplier of the ingredient.

(b) Products produced by an integrated system. (1) The information required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section concerning each active ingredient that is derived from an EPA-registered product (if any).

(2) The following information concerning each active ingredient that is not derived from an EPA-registered product:

(i) The name and address of the producer of the ingredient (if different from the applicant).

(ii) Information about each starting material used to produce the active ingredient, as follows:

(A) Each brand name, trade name, or other commercial designation of the starting material.

(B) The name and address of the person who produces the starting material or, if that information is not known to the applicant, the name and address of each person who supplies the starting material.

(C) All information that the applicant knows (or that is reasonably available to him), concerning the composition (and if requested by the Agency, chemical or physical properties) of the starting material, including a copy of all technical specifications, data sheets, or other documents describing it.

(3) The information required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section concerning each inert ingredient.

(c) Additional information. On a case-by-case basis, the Agency may require additional information on substances used in the production of the product.

If the product is produced by an integrated system, the applicant must submit information on the production (reaction) processes used to produce the active ingredients in the product. The applicant must also submit information about the formulation process, in accordance with § 158.335.

(a) Information must be submitted for the current production process for each active ingredient that is not derived from an EPA-registered product. If the production process is not continuous (a single reaction process from starting materials to active ingredient), but is accomplished in stages or by different producers, the information must be provided for each such production process.

(b) The following information must be provided for each process resulting in a separately isolated substance:

(1) The name and address of the producer who uses the process, if not the same as the applicant.

(2) A general characterization of the process (e.g., whether it is a batch or continuous process).

(3) A flow chart of the chemical equations of each intended reaction occurring at each step of the process, and of the duration of each step and of the entire process.

(4) The identity of the materials used to produce the product, their relative amounts, and the order in which they are added.

(5) A description of the equipment used that may influence the composition of the substance produced.

(6) A description of the conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, pH, humidity) that are controlled during each step of the process to affect the composition of the substance produced, and the limits that are maintained.

(7) A description of any purification procedures (including procedures to recover or recycle starting materials, intermediates or the substance produced).

(8) A description of the procedures used to assure consistent composition of the substance produced, e.g., calibration of equipment, sampling regimens, analytical methods, and other quality control methods.

The applicant must provide information on the formulation process of the product (unless the product consists solely of a technical grade of active ingredient) as required by the following sections:

(a) Section 158.330(b)(2), pertaining to characterization of the process.

(b) Section 158.330(b)(4), pertaining to ingredients used in the process.

(c) Section 158.330(b)(5), pertaining to process equipment.

(d) Section 158.330(b)(6), pertaining to the conditions of the process.

(e) Section 158.330(b)(8), pertaining to quality control measures.

The applicant must provide a discussion of the impurities that may be present in the product, and why they may be present. The discussion should be based on established chemical theory and on what the applicant knows about the starting materials, technical grade of active ingredient, inert ingredients, and production or formulation process. If the applicant has reason to believe that an impurity that EPA would consider toxicologically significant may be present, the discussion must include an expanded discussion of the possible formation of the impurity and the amounts at which it might be present. The impurities which must also be discussed are the following, as applicable:

(a) Technical grade active ingredients and products produced by an integrated system. (1) Each impurity associated with the active ingredient which was found to be present in any analysis of the product conducted by or for the applicant.

(2) Each other impurity which the registrant or applicant has reason to believe may be present in his product at any time before use at a level ≥0.1 percent (1,000 ppm) by weight of the technical grade of the active ingredient, based on what he knows about the following:

(i) The composition (or composition range) of each starting material used to produce his product.

(ii) The impurities which the applicant knows are present (or believes are likely to be present) in the starting materials, and the known or presumed level (or range of levels) of these impurities.

(iii) The intended reactions and side reactions which may occur in the production of the product, and the relative amounts of byproduct impurities produced by such reactions.

(iv) The possible degradation of the ingredients in the product after its production but prior to its use.

(v) Post-production reactions between the ingredients in the product.

(vi) The possible migration of components of packaging materials into the pesticide.

(vii) The possible carryover of contaminants from use of production equipment previously used to produce other products or substances.

(viii) The process control, purification and quality control measures used to produce the product.

(b) Products not produced by an integrated system. Each impurity associated with the active ingredient which the applicant has reason to believe may be present in the product at any time before use at a level ≥0.1 percent (1,000 ppm) by weight of the product based on what he knows about the following:

(1) The possible carryover of impurities present in any registered product which serves as the source of any of the product's active ingredients. The identity and level of impurities in the registered source need not be discussed or quantified unless known to the formulator.

(2) The possible carryover of impurities present in the inert ingredients in the product.

(3) Possible reactions occurring during the formulation of the product between any of its active ingredients, between the active ingredients and inert ingredients, or between the active ingredient and the production equipment.

(4) Post-production reactions between any of the product's active ingredients and any other component of the product or its packaging.

(5) Possible migration of packaging materials into the product.

(6) Possible contaminants resulting from earlier use of equipment to produce other products.

(c) Expanded discussion. On a case-by-case basis, the Agency may require an expanded discussion of information on impurities:

(1) From other possible chemical reactions.

(2) Involving other ingredients.

(3) At additional points in the production or formulation process.

(a) If the product is produced by an integrated system, the applicant must provide a preliminary analysis of each technical grade of active ingredient contained in the product to identify all impurities present at 0. 1 percent or greater of the technical grade of the active ingredient. The preliminary analysis should be conducted at the point in the production process after which no further chemical reactions designed to produce or purify the substances are intended.

(b) Based on the preliminary analysis, a statement of the composition of the technical grade of the active ingredient must be provided. If the technical grade of the active ingredient cannot be isolated, a statement of the composition of the practical equivalent of the technical grade of the active ingredient must be submitted.

The applicant must propose certified limits for the ingredients in the product. Certified limits become legally binding limits upon approval of the application. Certified limits will apply to the product from the date of production to date of use. If the product label bears a statement prohibiting use after a certain date, the certified limits will apply only until that date.

(a) Ingredients for which certified limits are required. Certified limits are required on the following ingredients of a pesticide product:

(1) An upper and lower limit for each active ingredient.

(2) An upper and lower limit for each inert ingredient.

(3) If the product is a technical grade of active ingredient or is produced by an integrated system, an upper limit for each impurity of toxicological significance associated with the active ingredient and found to be present in any sample of the product.

(4) On a case-by-case basis, certified limits for other ingredients or impurities as specified by EPA.

(b) EPA determination of standard certified limits for active and inert ingredients. (1) Unless the applicant proposes different limits as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the upper and lower certified limits for active and inert ingredients will be determined by EPA. EPA will calculate the certified limits on the basis of the nominal concentration of the ingredient in the product, according to the table in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(2) Table of standard certified limits.

(c) Applicant proposed limits. (1) The applicant may propose a certified limit for an active or inert ingredient that differs from the standard certified limit calculated according to paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(2) If certified limits are required for impurities, the applicants must propose a certified limit. The standard certified limits may not be used for such substances.

(3) Certified limits should:

(i) Be based on a consideration of the variability of the concentration of the ingredient in the product when good manufacturing practices and normal quality control procedures are used.

(ii) Allow for all sources of variability likely to be encountered in the production process.

(iii) Take into account the stability of the ingredient in the product and the possible formation of impurities between production and sale or distribution.

(4) The applicant may include an explanation of the basis of his proposed certified limits, including how the certified limits were arrived at (e.g., sample analysis, quantitative estimate based on production process), and its accuracy and precision. This will be particularly useful if the range of the certified limit for an active or inert ingredient is greater than the standard certified limits.

(d) Special cases. If the Agency finds unacceptable any certified limit (either standard, or applicant proposed), the Agency will inform the registrant or applicant of its determination and will provide supporting reasons. The Agency may also recommend alternative limits to the applicant. The Agency may require, on a case-by-case basis, any or all of the following:

(1) More precise limits.

(2) More thorough explanation of how the certified limits were determined.

(3) A narrower range between the upper and lower certified limits than that proposed.

(e) Certification statement. The applicant must certify the accuracy of the information presented, and that the certified limits of the ingredients will be maintained. The following statement, signed by the authorized representative of the company, is acceptable:

An analytical method suitable for enforcement purposes must be provided for each active ingredient in the product and for each other ingredient or impurity that the Agency determines to be toxicologically significant.