EPA And ISSA Detail Latest Accomplishments Of Pesticide Registration Improvement Act

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with ISSA, have announced accomplishments involving the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA 5) during the first half of 2023. The EPA also announced upcoming related activities projected for completion by December 2023.

Congressional reauthorization of PRIA 5 was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, which the U.S. Congress passed in December 2022. PRIA provides necessary resources to the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), which oversees the registration of disinfectants and sanitizers.

“Specifically, the legislation supplements annual appropriations for OPP with additional funding from industry-paid fees that support pesticide registration, registration review, and other regulatory actions important to promoting product innovation. The much-needed OPP funding, coupled with a variety of process and information technology improvements, will allow OPP to increase staffing and better meet registration and registration review timeframes to give consumers, health care professionals, and cleaning professionals the tools necessary to manage pests, microbes, and germs in and around our homes, communities, workplaces, and other facilities. Additionally, the bill requires Spanish translations of pesticide labels within set timeframes,” according to a press release.

ISSA, a founding member of the PRIA Coalition, proactively lobbied for passage of PRIA reauthorization on behalf of its members and the entire cleaning industry. Since PRIA 5 was enacted into law, ISSA, as part of the coalition, has been working to assist EPA in meeting the new statutory requirements and deadlines, including the following highlights:

• Implementing pesticide maintenance fees reflecting new PRIA 5 fee levels in January 2023;
• Updating PRIA 5 pesticide registration service fees for new PRIA applications in February 2023; and,
• Centralizing more than 1,000 pesticide guidance documents related to pesticide regulation and pesticide-related resources on a new webpage, featuring an easy-to-use search tool.

Learn more about the EPA’s PRIA 5 accomplishments and upcoming activities online. For questions regarding PRIA 5 and the cleaning industry, contact ISSA Government Affairs Director John Nothdurft.