Re-evaluation Decision RVD2020-08, Dichlorvos and Its Associated End-use Products

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
20 August 2020
ISSN: 1925-1025 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-28/2020-8E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of contents

• Re-evaluation decision
• Outcome of science evaluation
• Regulatory decision for dichlorvos
• Risk Mitigation Measures
• Next steps
• Other information
• Appendix I Registered dichlorvos products in Canada

Re-evaluation decision

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, all registered pesticides must be regularly re-evaluated by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to ensure that they continue to meet current health and environmental standards and continue to have value. The re-evaluation considers data and information from pesticide manufacturers, published scientific reports and other regulatory agencies. The PMRA applies internationally accepted risk assessment methods as well as current risk management approaches and policies.

Dichlorvos is a broad spectrum, non-systemic organophosphate insecticide used to manage various insect pests on greenhouse cucumbers, tomatoes and ornamentals, indoor and outdoor structural sites (for example, processing plants, storage facilities, theatres, animal buildings and various outdoor areas), and for mosquito control. Dichlorvos is applied indoors by hand sprayers, ultra-low volume applicators, and automatic foggers, and outdoors by ground equipment. It is also used in insecticide strips. Dichlorvos is registered for both commercial and domestic uses andcurrently registered products can be found in the Pesticide Label Search and in Appendix I.

The regulatory approach for the re-evaluation of dichlorvos was first presented in the Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2017-16, Dichlorvos,^{Footnote 1} which underwent a 90-day consultation period. The proposed decision is summarized below.

• Removal of use in mushroom houses as it was not supported by dichlorvos registrants for this re-evaluation.
• Cancellation of use:
  • Greenhouse tomato and cucumber, and greenhouse ornamentals (excluding greenhouse potted ornamentals)
  • Outdoor mosquito control
  • Outdoor residential living areas
  • Indoor pest strips (excluding areas that are unoccupied for a minimum of 4 months)
• Label Amendment:
  • Domestic class pest strip product is only allowed to be used in structures that are continuously unoccupied for at least 4 months (for example, cottages closed for the winter).
  • For use with automatic application equipment only and a 4-day re-entry interval with full ventilation for greenhouse potted ornamentals, tobacco storage, animal buildings, food processing plants, industrial plants, warehouses, and theaters.
  • Restriction on amount handled per day for tobacco storage, food processing plants, industrial plants, warehouses, and theaters (limited to 1.14 kg a.i./day).
  • Additional label statements to protect human health.
• Precautionary label statement to mitigate or reduce risks to bees, other insects, and aquatic habitats to protect the environment.

Health Canada received comments and information relating to the health and value assessments. Respondents are listed in Appendix II of RVD2020-08. These comments are summarized in Appendix III of RVD2020-08 along with the responses by Health Canada. The comments and new data/information resulted in some revisions to the risk assessments (see Science Evaluation Update) which resulted in changes to the proposed regulatory decision as described in PRVD2017-16. A reference list of information used as the basis for the proposed re-evaluation decision is included in PRVD2017-16; further information used in the re-evaluation decision is listed in Appendix VI of RVD2020-08.

This document (RVD2020-08) presents the final regulatory decision^{Footnote 2} for the re-evaluation of dichlorvos, including the required risk mitigation measures to protect human health and the environment, and label amendments to bring labels to current standards. All products containing dichlorvos that are registered in Canada are subject to this re-evaluation decision.

Outcome of science evaluation

Following the consultation on the proposed re-evaluation decision, Health Canada revised the toxicology, occupational and residential risk assessments and/or risk mitigation based on the comments and information received. The revised assessment indicated that health risks from dichlorvos and its associated end-use products were not shown to be acceptable for certain uses of dichlorvos (such as spray and fogging application for certain crops/sites, and pest strip use in certain indoor areas) when used according to the label directions, or when additional mitigation measures are considered. As such, those uses are being cancelled.

Risk assessment for the commercial class pest strip product (for use in insect pheromone traps) did not required to be updated as risk was shown to be acceptable with mitigation measures in PRVD2017-16. For the remaining uses, value, health and environmental risks were shown to be acceptable, provided additional risk mitigation measures are implemented to protect human health. These include reclassifying some of the products from Commercial to Restricted class, and Domestic to Commercial class; restricting the sale and use of these indoor products to certified applicators only; and a provision of an information sheet to occupants of indoor treated sites. See the Risk Mitigation Measures for further details.

Regulatory decision for dichlorvos

Health Canada has completed the re-evaluation of dichlorvos. Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada has determined that continued registration of some products containing dichlorvos is acceptable. An evaluation of available scientific information found that some uses of dichlorvos products meet current standards for protection of human health and the environment when used according to revised label directions. Therefore, label amendments to mitigate risks to the human health and environment, and label improvements to meet current standards are required for these uses.

However, spray and fogging application for certain crops/sites and pest strip use in certain indoor areas are cancelled since health risks are not shown to be acceptable when used according to the current conditions of registration, or when additional mitigation is considered. The risk mitigation measures are summarized below. No additional data are requested.

Risk Mitigation Measures

Registered pesticide product labels include specific directions for use. Directions include risk mitigation measures to protect human health and the environment and must be followed by law. The revised mitigation measures required, as a result of the re-evaluation of dichlorvos, are summarized below. Refer to Appendix V of RVD2020-08 for details.

Uses not supported by manufacturers for re-evaluation and will be removed from all product labels:

• Mushroom houses

Human Health

To protect human health, the following risk-reduction measures are required for continued registration of dichlorvos in Canada.

Cancellation of use:

• Spray application to greenhouse crops (cucumbers, tomatoes and ornamentals), sheds, stables, barns, loafing sheds, pigpens, poultry houses, outdoor areas, and outdoor residential living areas
• Fogging application to dairies, piggeries and barns
• Fogging application for outdoor mosquito control
• Domestic class pest strip use in homes (including garages, attics, crawl spaces), animal and farm buildings, milk rooms, motels, restaurants, food processing plants, industrial and commercial locations, kennels, garbage storage areas and containers, and similar enclosed spaces, or any space that is occupied within 4 months of application

Label Amendment:

• For fogging application of the following indoor structures: tobacco storage, poultry houses, food processing plants, industrial plants, warehouses, theatres:
  • Change of classification from Commercial class to RESTRICTED class. The nature of the restriction is for sale to and use by certified applicators only.
  • For use with automated application equipment only.
  • Additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and full ventilation requirement.
  • A re-entry interval of 4 days.
• For the current domestic class pest strip product:
  • Change of classification from Domestic class to COMMERCIAL class.
  • For use only in cottages, cabins and trailers, unoccupied for at least 4 months following application. Not for use in occupied homes.
• For all indoor uses – Applicators are required to post and provide an information sheet to occupants of treated areas (to inform them of the product that was applied, the re-entry interval, symptoms of overexposure, and what to do if they experience these effects).
• For outdoor pest strip (in insect pheromone traps) – additional PPE and use limitations.
• Updated label statements are required to meet current label standards and to clarify use directions and mitigation measures.

Environment

The following precautionary label statement is required:

• A statement to inform the user that dichlorvos is toxic to aquatic organisms.

Next steps

To comply with this decision, the required amendments (mitigation measures and label updates) must be implemented on all product labels no later than 24 months after the publication date of this decision document. Accordingly, both registrants and retailers will have up to 24 months from the date of this decision document to transition to selling the product with the newly amended labels. Similarly, users will also have the same 24-month period from the date of this decision document to transition to using the newly amended labels, which will be available on the Public Registry. Products that are cancelled will be phased out following the implementation timeline outlined below.

• One (1) year of sale by registrant from the publication date of this decision document, followed by;
• One (1) year of sale by retailer from the last date of sale by registrant, followed by;
• One (1) year of permitted use from the last date of sale by retailer.

Other information

Any person may file a notice of objection^{Footnote 3}regarding this decision on dichlorvos within 60 days from the date of publication of RVD2020-08. For more information regarding the basis for objecting (which must be based on scientific grounds), please refer to the Pesticides section of the Canada.ca website (Request a Reconsideration of Decision) or contact the PMRA’s Pest Management Information Service.

The relevant test data on which the decision is based (as referenced in PRVD2017-16 and this RVD2020-08) are available for public inspection, upon application, in the PMRA’s Reading Room (located in Ottawa). For more information, please contact the PMRA’s Pest Management Information Service by phone (1-800-267-6315) or by e-mail (pmra.info-arla@hc-sc.gc.ca).

Appendix I Registered dichlorvos products in Canada