Response to Comments Received on PMRL Consultation for Ethaboxam (PMRL2014-35), Pesticides and Pest Management, Health Canada

Comment

In response to the proposed maximum residue limits (PMRLs) for ethaboxam (PMRL2014-35 and PRD2014-13), a comment was received regarding the use of the enforcement method and corresponding limit of quantitation (LOQ) used to specify the proposed MRLs of 0.02 ppm.

PMRA Response

In PMRL2014-35, PMRA is proposing to specify MRLs in/on crops of Crop Group 6 (except dry cowpea seeds, dry field peas, and succulent shelled cowpeas), Crop Group 15(except rice, sorghum, and wild rice), and Crop Subgroup 20A at 0.02 ppm, which corresponds to the LOQ of the enforcement method RM-49C-1. Method RM-49C, which was also proposed as an enforcement method, has a LOQ of 0.01 ppm for the analysis of ethaboxam in food crop matrices; however, during the review, this method was not considered valid due to concerns with the Independent Laboratory Validation (ILV) process.

Through the consultation on PMRL2014-35 (and PRD2014-13), the Applicant has provided information to address the concern. As the comment received has an impact on the proposed ethaboxam MRLs in PMRL2014-35 (and PRD2014-13), the proposed MRLs of 0.02 ppm will no longer be specified. In turn, a new PMRL document (PMRL2014-76) has been posted for consultation with proposed ethaboxam MRLs of 0.01 ppm in/on crops of Crop Group 6 (except dry cowpea seeds, dry field peas, and succulent shelled cowpeas), Crop Group 15(except rice, sorghum, and wild rice), and Crop Subgroup 20A.