Search Help for the PICOL Tolerance Database
The PICOL tolerance database is a searchable Web-based database containing pesticide tolerance information for all crops grown in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). A tolerance is defined as the legally allowable residue of a pesticide on a food, feed, or fiber crop.
Washington State University's Pest Management Resource Service operates both the PICOL label and tolerance databases. The operation of the databases is funded by four entities: Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), Washington State University (WSU), and Oregon State University (OSU).
No. The PICOL label and tolerance databases are free to the public.
The PICOL tolerance database is updated monthly; information in the database is very current.
Tolerances (listed in parts per million or ppm) are included in the searchable PICOL tolerance database for all crops grown in the PNW if the active ingredient is one currently registered in either Oregon or Washington. As of October 2002, more than 5300 tolerances are included in the PICOL tolerance database.
Crops - Information for crops that are grown outside the PNW (e.g., rice, peanuts) is not included in the tolerance database.
Commodities - Milk, meat, and poultry tolerances are not included in the tolerance database.
Ingredients - Tolerances are only included for ingredients currently registered for use in Oregon or Washington. For example, if a particular ingredient is only registered for use in Idaho, the tolerance is not entered in the PICOL tolerance database.
EPA maintains tolerance information on the Web in two places. They maintain a searchable database and a relatively current (2001) electronic copy of the relevant portion of the Code of Federal Regulations, 40CFR180.
The PICOL tolerance dictionaries help you use the same crop and ingredient terminology used in the database, to provide more accurate and complete searches. Before beginning a search you should check the dictionaries to verify that you are using the terminology in the same way it has been used in the database. For example, checking the crop dictionary for apple will tell you that running a search for Crop LIKE Apple will return results for 9 apple tolerance categories (e.g., Apple Pomace, Apple (Blossom Stage), Apple (Post-Harvest) as well as 2 crabapple categories.
Time-limited tolerances are flagged in the PICOL tolerance database with pending expiration dates given in the “Notes” field. Pending tolerance revocations are also cited in the notes field with both the date that the revocation was announced and the date that it becomes effective. However, once a tolerance has expired or been revoked, the information is removed from the database.
You can search for tolerances either by crop or by ingredient. Check the dictionary to be certain that you are using the correct terminology (see the information above on dictionary use), then enter your search parameter in the appropriate field. Be aware that these searches are set up to be LIKE searches so searching for Crop LIKE Pear will give you all of the pear tolerances, as well as all the spearmint (s-pear-mint) tolerances. On the search page you may choose to have your output sorted by either crop name or ingredient. Alternately, after viewing the results one way you may choose to have the output re-sorted by clicking on the desired sort button.
Most likely you have made a spelling error in your search or you are searching
on a term that is not recognized by the database (e.g., postharvest versus
post-harvest). (Remember, “wrong” just means you didn’t enter
it the way we did!) Check your typing, check the dictionaries, and try your
search again. You may also be trying to extract information that is not contained
in the tolerance database. Recall that tolerances are only included for ingredients
registered for use in Oregon and Washington AND only for crops grown in the
PNW. If you continue to have problems with the tolerance database, please call
us at 509-372-7492.
We value your input on the information contained in the tolerance database. If you find an error we could appreciate hearing from you. Please direct feedback to Dr. Catherine Daniels at 509-372-7495.