AgroPages-Canada to cancel food and feed uses of insecticide methomyl-Agricultural news

Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has now completed the risk and value assessments for insecticide methomyl. This revised assessment is based on consideration of the comments and submitted data, changes to the use pattern and any regulatory changes in other countries. Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, the PMRA is proposing continued registration of certain uses of methomyl in Canada. An evaluation of available scientific information found that:

• Non-food uses of methomyl continue to have value and do not present an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment, when used according to revised label directions. Non-food uses include application to balsam fir and spruce in Christmas tree plantations, farm woodlots and rights-of-way, and as granular baits in barns, poultry houses, feedlots and kennels.

• Based on the human health risk assessment, food and feed uses of methomyl, including use on tobacco, are being proposed for cancellation and all established maximum residue limits (MRLs) for methomyl are proposed for revocation.

This proposal affects all end-use products containing methomyl registered in Canada. Once the final re-evaluation decision is made, the registrants will be instructed on how to address any new requirements.

The final re-evaluation decision on methomyl will be made by PMRA later based on comments received from the public.