EPA 25(b) Exempt Pesticides

25b pest control sprays use minimum risk botanical oils, and labels like EpiShield O list no re-entry or pre-harvest interval. Reach for EpiShield or TriShield on mites, SNS 244 or Mammoth Control on fungus, and Pride Lands Defense in the root zone.

11 products

EPA 25(b) Exempt Pesticides

25b Pest Control: Minimum Risk Insecticides, Miticides and Fungicides

25b pest control products are botanical sprays and top dressings built only from ingredients on the EPA minimum risk list, so they skip federal registration. This collection holds Athena IPM, BioWorks EpiShield O, Mammoth Control, GH TriShield, Sierra Natural Science and GreenGro. For the rules behind them, read our guide to FIFRA 25(b) minimum risk pesticides....

25b pest control infographic: miticides, fungicides and soil top dressings, active ingredients, label rates and REI

For EPA-registered products, see pesticides and insecticides and fungal and mold management.

Types of 25(b) Products

Contact Miticides and Insecticides

BioWorks EpiShield O pairs 15% peppermint oil with 10% clove oil and lists a 0-hour REI and 0-day PHI. It controls mites and aphids and only suppresses thrips, whiteflies and mealybugs. GH TriShield uses 30% soybean oil at 45 mL per gallon. SNS 217C runs on rosemary oil.

Botanical Fungicides

SNS 244 RTU sprays thyme oil at 4% straight from the bottle, while the 244C concentrate is OMRI Listed. Mammoth Control combines corn oil and thyme oil for fungus, mites and insects. Athena IPM blends peppermint, lemongrass and geranium oils at 1.5% each.

Soil Drenches and Top Dressings

GreenGro Pride Lands Defense is a dry blend of garlic, clove, cinnamon, peppermint and white pepper. It goes on at 1 tablespoon per gallon of media for fungus gnats and root aphids. SNS 203 pairs clove and rosemary as a drench or foliar.

How Growers Use Minimum Risk Sprays

These products work on contact, so cover leaf undersides until wet. Spray at lights-off with the canopy cool, since oils on a hot leaf can burn. EpiShield and TriShield do not tank mix with other oil or pesticide products.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 25(b) exempt mean?

It means the product meets all six EPA conditions for a minimum risk pesticide under FIFRA Section 25(b). Every active and inert ingredient must come from approved lists, and the label must disclose each one. The product then needs no federal registration number, though most states still require their own.

Are 25(b) pesticides EPA registered?

No. That is the point of the exemption, so the label carries no EPA registration number and the EPA has not reviewed its efficacy claims. Growers who need a registered product should look at our pesticide and fungicide collections. Check your state's rules before using either kind.

Is there a 25(b) pesticides list?

Yes. The permitted active ingredients sit in 40 CFR 152.25(f)(1), mostly botanical oils and food-grade extracts. Products here use ingredients from that list, such as corn oil, thyme oil, peppermint oil, clove oil and soybean oil. Each label states its actives by percentage.