Pesticides can now include a common animal feed additive without extra safety checks

US environmental regulators have exempted choline chloride from safety checks when it is used as an inert ingredient in pesticides applied to animals. This means pesticide manufacturers no longer need to prove that residues of this chemical are safe at specific levels.

This rule change makes it easier and cheaper for pesticide manufacturers to use choline chloride in products applied to animals. Previously, each use required a specific safety assessment for residue levels. Now, that step is gone, streamlining the approval process for new pesticide formulations.