Restricted use pesticides (RUP) are pesticides not available to the general public in the United States. Fulfilling its pesticide regulation responsibilities, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers all pesticides as either "unclassified" or "restricted use". Unclassified pesticides are available over-the-counter, while the latter require a license to purchase and apply the product. Pesticides are classified as "restricted use" for a variety of reasons, such as potential for or history of groundwater contamination.
The RUP classification restricts a product, or its uses, to use by a certificated pesticide applicator or under the direct supervision of a certified applicator. Certification programs are administered by the federal government, individual states, and by company policies that vary from state to state. This is managed by the EPA under the Worker Protection Standard, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture.[citation needed]
The RUP list is part of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 152.175).[1] Atrazine is the most widely used restricted-use herbicide, however there are over 700 RUPs as of 2017. Many insecticides and fungicides used in fruit production are restricted use.[citation needed]