EPA Registers New Pesticide Active Ingredient Veratrine

Released on January 13, 2025

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered products containing the new active ingredient veratrine, an insecticide for direct application to walls and other vertical man-made structures, such as transportation equipment for non-food commodities. Veratrine acts against pests by targeting insect nervous systems in a manner similar to other registered insecticides (e.g., pyrethroids).

EPA's Risk Assessments

The veratrine registrations are supported by human health and ecological risk assessments, with the latter including EPA’s No Effect determination for veratrine under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

No human health or environmental risks of concern were identified when veratrine is used according to the label. In its effects determination, EPA found that veratrine would have No Effect on all listed species because the proposed use sites are unlikely to overlap with a significant portion of the species’ ranges. A No Effect determination means there will be no impacts to listed species or critical habitats from the proposed veratrine uses. This action complies with EPA’s obligations under the ESA and furthers the goals outlined in EPA’s April 2022 ESA Workplan.

Restrictions on the Product Label

The human health and environmental risks assessments were based on the label restrictions listed below:

1. All end use products are labeled for direct spray application to brown marmorated stink bug, boxelder bug, house flies, or ants (excluding carpenter, harvester, pharaoh, fire) in spot, crack and crevice sites on the exterior vertical surfaces of the listed man-made structures only: commercial warehouses (non-food), commercial buildings, office buildings, theaters, hotels, motels, homes, garage buildings, resort buildings, industrial buildings, apartment buildings, dumpsters/trash cans, commercial kennel buildings, commercial horse stable buildings, and zoo buildings.
2. All end use product labels specify the time to spray and the distance from sprayer to the pest.
3. The labels prohibit applications to horizontal surfaces.
4. The labels prohibit use of the product as a perimeter treatment.
5. The labels prohibit more than 12 applications per calendar year.

To read more about the registration of veratrine, see docket ID EPA-HQ-OPP-2022-0772 at www.regulations.gov.