California DPR Proposes Adding Chitosan to list of Exempted Pesticide Ingredients

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has proposed adding chitosan to the list of active chemicals authorised in exempted minimum-risk pesticides. This approach is consistent with a recent action by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Regulation and background

The DPR's proposed change to Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations (3 CCR) section 6147(a)(5)(A) is consistent with EPA's inclusion of chitosan in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR) section 152.25(f)(1), which was published in the Federal Register on November 8, 2022.

Updates

This change will affect pesticide registration efforts in California. Chitosan, a naturally occurring biopolymer derived from crustacean shells, has shown promise as a biopesticide. Its addition the list of exempted components will speed up the registration procedure for chitosan-based products.

The DPR believes this action will benefit Californians by boosting the availability of alternatives to traditional pesticides, potentially resulting in reduced regulatory burdens for manufacturers and lower costs for consumers. The state also expects to see an increase in the manufacture and availability of chitosan-based insecticides.

Comment Period

Interested parties are encouraged to provide written comments on the proposed action by March 17, 2025. Although no public hearings are presently scheduled, a public hearing will be scheduled if requested in writing to the DPR at least 15 days before the end of the comment period. The DPR's contact information for sending comments is available on its website.

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