Disinfectants, Sanitizers & EPA-Registered Products

With the exception of hand sanitizers (which are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates disinfectants, sanitizers, and related cleaning products. It requires that these products be registered with the agency as “antimicrobial pesticides.”

The U.S. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) defines a “pesticide” as “any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest”

This link defines what products fall under the jurisdiction of pesticides and describes the regulatory background and policy. Disinfectants, sanitizers, and EPA registered products of concern to ISSA include: Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA), Federal Pesticide Registration, Federal Adverse Effects Reporting, and State Pesticide Registration.

PRIA
PRIA is a registration service fee system for pesticides established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004.

Federal Pesticide Registration
Pesticides are regulated at the federal level by the EPA.

Federal Adverse Effects Reporting
FIFRA requires registrants to report any information indicating adverse effects of pesticides with the EPA.

State Pesticide Registration
Every state has its own pesticide registration program, and regulations within each state, such as fees, renewal deadlines, and penalties change frequently.