Canada proposes to re-evaluate thiophanate-methyl

Health Canada is consulting Canadians on its proposed re-evaluation decision for thiophanate-methyl. Thiophanate-methyl is a fungicide that controls a broad spectrum of diseases on a wide variety of crops and use sites in Canada, including greenhouse non-food crops, terrestrial food crops, mushrooms, outdoor ornamentals, turf, and seed treatment.

 

Based on the outcome of the risk assessment, Health Canada proposes continued registration for many uses of thiophanate-methyl with mitigation measures including:
 

• additional personal protective equipment, engineering controls, and limits on amount of product handled per day by workers

• new or revised restricted-entry intervals, limits on the number of applications per season, and limiting greenhouse cut flower applications to soil drench only

• spray buffer zones to protect aquatic habitats

• additional label statements that:

    o inform users that thiophanate-methyl is toxic to bees, earthworms, birds, small- and medium-sized mammals, and aquatic organisms

    o advise avoiding application during periods of bloom for crops that are attractive to pollinators

    o inform not to discharge thiophanate-methyl-contaminated effluent from greenhouses and mushroom houses into aquatic environments

    o inform users how to reduce the potential for runoff.

However, Health Canada is proposing to cancel the following uses of thiophanate-methyl, as risks to human health have not shown to be acceptable:

• Aerial application using wettable powder products

• Wettable powder products on all turf uses, white bean, sugarbeet, aspen and poplar

• All turf uses except on golf courses and sod farms for the liquid and water-soluble packaging products

• Greenhouse tobacco seedlings (foliar spray and foliar drench applications)

• Greenhouse cut flowers (foliar application)

• Outdoor cut flowers

• Apples and pears at the high application rate

• Peach, nectarine, plum, prune, cherry

• Commercial seed treatment of bean seeds using wettable powder products

• On-farm dry application to bean seeds using wettable powder products

• Potato seed piece treatment for all product formulations.

This consultation is open for comment from 28 June 2019 to 26 September 2019 (90 calendar days).