Final answer:
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is a U.S. federal law that governs the use of pesticides to protect people and the environment, overseen by the EPA.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is a United States federal law that sets up the basic system of pesticide regulation to protect applicators, consumers, and the environment. Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this act requires all pesticides to be registered with the EPA, which evaluates them to ensure that they do not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment when used according to their labeled directions. The FIFRA act has been in place for many years and is crucial for overseeing the distribution, sale, and use of pesticides, encompassing a variety of substances like herbicides, insecticides, and rodenticides.
While the FDA enforces the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which is focused primarily on the regulation of food, drugs, and cosmetics, the EPA’s role in regulating pesticides under FIFRA is equally important for ensuring the safety of both people and the environment. FIFRA plays a critical role in the management of pesticides, helping to safeguard against potential risks associated with pest control substances.