Who is responsible for classifying pesticides?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary federal agency responsible for classifying and regulating pesticides in the United States. The EPA evaluates the safety and efficacy of pesticides before they can be registered for use. This involves a comprehensive assessment of the potential risks to human health and the environment associated with the use of these chemicals.

The classification process undertaken by the EPA ensures that pesticides are categorized based on their chemical properties, usage, potential hazards, and target pest specifications. This classification informs users, industry professionals, and regulators on appropriate safety measures, application methods, and guidelines necessary for responsible pesticide use.

While state departments of agriculture do play a role in enforcing EPA regulations and may have their own pesticide classifications, they operate within the framework established by the EPA. Other agencies, like the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Pesticide Information Retrieval System, focus more on agricultural policies, research, or information sharing, rather than the actual classification of pesticides.