First antimicrobial pesticide against anthrax gets 'green light' from EPA

Washington

-- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just approved the first license for an antimicrobial pesticide product to deactivate anthrax spores on hard surfaces.

"Peridox with the Electrostatic Decontamination System" is the first pesticide registered to deactivate anthrax spores, the EPA reported in prepared statement on May 28. Prior to the approval, the agency issued crisis exemptions allowing use of an unregistered antimicrobial chemical to clean buildings and any contents contaminated with anthrax spores.

EPA approved the registration for Peridox -- which can decontaminate a variety of dry, pre-cleaned, hard, non-porous surfaces - after reviewing "extensive" data from manufacturer Clean Earth Technologies. EPA deemed the product effective without causing unreasonable adverse effects.

The full registration can be viewed here.