EPA clears sodium nitrate for sealed-warehouse fumigation

EPA finalized a narrow exemption for sodium nitrate in one post-harvest fumigation setup. The chemical can be used only inside a sealed warehouse, in a remotely detonated canister, for raw agricultural commodities, and the rule takes effect June 15, 2026.

A rule that stops at the warehouse door

That matters because the exemption removes a residue-tolerance hurdle for that specific use. EPA says there is no need to establish a maximum permissible level for sodium nitrate residues in that setting, which makes the practical path smoother for pesticide formulators, warehouse operators and commodity handlers using the method.

AgroFresh Inc. asked EPA for the exemption under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The agency framed the action narrowly, not as a general green light for sodium nitrate across pesticide products.

A small correction at the end

The rule is codified at 40 CFR 180.910 and took effect June 15, 2026. Objections and hearing requests are due Aug. 14, 2026.

EPA also corrected a typographical error in the CAS registry number for d-alpha tocopherol, a technical cleanup folded into the same rule.