Re-evaluation Decision RVD2023-05, Formic Acid and Its Associated End-use Products

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
9 February 2023
ISSN: 1925-1025 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-28/2023-5E-PDF (PDF version)

Summary

Table of contents

• Re-evaluation decision for formic acid and associated end-use products
• Re-evaluation decision for formic acid
• Risk mitigation measures
• Next steps
• Other information
• Appendix I - Registered products containing formic acid in Canada

Re-evaluation decision for formic acid and associated end-use products

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 health and environmental standards and continue to have value. The re-evaluation considers information from various sources such as data and information from pesticide manufacturers and other regulatory agencies, as well as comments received during public consultations. Health Canada applies internationally accepted risk assessment methods as well as risk management approaches and policies.

Formic acid is a miticide registered in Canada for the control of tracheal and varroa mites and used for the treatment of honeybee colonies. Treatment of a hive with formic acid results in the diffusion of vapours through the hive, which target and suffocate mites. The commercial end-use product is applied as a liquid formulation poured onto absorbent materials (such as paper and wood pulp), or pads are pre-soaked and placed into honeybee hives. Domestic end-use products are applied to hives as a liquid formulation poured onto absorbent materials/applicator pads, or as pre-formulated slow-release pads/gel strips. Currently registered products containing formic acid can be found in the Pesticide Product Information Database and in Appendix I.

The Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2022-15, Formic Acid and its Associated End-use Products^{Footnote 1} containing the evaluation of formic acid and proposed decision, underwent a 90-day consultation period ending on 12 October 2022. PRVD2022-15 proposed continued registration of formic acid products in Canada, with label updates to meet current labelling standards (Appendix IV of Re-evaluation Decision RVD2023-05, Formic Acid and Its Associated End-use Products).

Health Canada received one comment relating to the labels of two products containing formic acid. Commenters are listed in Appendix II of RVD2023-05. The comment is summarized in Appendix III of RVD2023-05 along with the response by Health Canada. The comment and new information did not result in revisions to the value and risk assessments and did not result in changes to the proposed re-evaluation decision as described in PRVD2022-15. A reference list of information used as the basis for the proposed re-evaluation decision is included in PRVD2022-15.

This document RVD2023-05 presents the final re-evaluation decision^{Footnote 2} for the re-evaluation of formic acid, including the label updates required to meet the current labelling standards. All products containing formic acid that are registered in Canada are subject to this re-evaluation decision.

Re-evaluation decision for formic acid

Health Canada has completed the re-evaluation of formic acid. Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada has determined that continued registration of products containing formic acid is acceptable with label updates (Appendix IV of RVD2023-05). An evaluation of available scientific information found that uses of formic acid products meet current standards for protection of human health and the environment and have acceptable value under the current conditions of use.

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 required updated label statements as a result of the re-evaluation of formic acid, are summarized below. Refer to Appendix IV of RVD2023-05 for details.

Label improvements to meet current standards:

Human health

• Update to standard label statements (wording related to personal protective equipment and health precautions).

Environment

• Updates to standard label statements (disposal and storage).

Next steps

To comply with this decision, the required label amendments 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 in the Public Registry.

Refer to Appendix I for details on specific products impacted by this decision.

Other information

Any person may file a notice of objection^{Footnote 3} regarding this decision on formic acid and its associated end-use products within 60 days from the date of publication of this Re-evaluation Decision. 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 Health Canada's Pest Management Information Service.

The relevant confidential test data on which the decision is based (as referenced in PRVD2022-15) are available for public inspection, upon application, in Health Canada's Reading Room. For more information, please contact Health Canada's Pest Management Information Service.

Appendix I Registered products containing formic acid in Canada