Organized by the American Chemistry Council’s Center for Biocide Chemistries (CBC) and the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA)

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not register pesticide devices, devices making pesticidal claims are regulated by EPA and states. Pesticidal device manufacturers do not have to submit efficacy data to EPA prior to the sale of devices, but several states require the registration of pesticidal devices, including the submission of efficacy data. The Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5) included dedicated funding for EPA’s development of efficacy testing methods for antimicrobial public health devices. EPA utilized this funding and additional EPA support to research and develop new test methods for air treatment devices.

This webinar will feature Dr. Katherine Ratliff, a physical scientist and principal investigator in the EPA Office of Pesticide Program’s Microbiology Laboratory Branch. Dr. Ratliff leads research at EPA’s state-of-the-art Aerosol Test Facility in Research Triangle Park, NC, where she evaluates and advances engineering controls designed to minimize airborne pathogen exposure in the built environment.

Beyond her laboratory work, Dr. Ratliff plays a key role in shaping national standards and guidelines through her contributions to both EPA and ASHRAE. She holds a B.A. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. in Earth and Ocean Sciences from Duke University.

This session is ideal for federal, state, and industry regulatory professionals, device manufacturers, public health stakeholders, and others interested in EPA’s evolving work on antimicrobial public health devices.