Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2018-08, Flonicamid

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
27 March 2018
ISSN: 1925-0843 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2018-8E-PDF (PDF version)

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is proposing to establish a maximum residue limit (MRL) for flonicamid on citrus fruits (Crop Group 10-Revised) to permit the import and sale of foods containing such residues.

Flonicamid is an insecticide currently registered in Canada for use on various commodities.

The PMRA must determine the quantity of residues that are likely to remain in or on the imported food commodities when flonicamid is used according to label directions in the exporting country, and that such residues will not be a concern to human health. This quantity is then legally established as an MRL on the corresponding imported commodity. An MRL applies to the identified raw agricultural food commodity as well as to any processed food product that contains it, except where separate MRLs are specified for the raw agricultural commodity and a processed product made from it.

Consultation on the proposed MRL for flonicamid is being conducted via this document (see Next Steps). A summary of the field trial data used to support the proposed MRL can be found in Appendix I.

To comply with Canada's international trade obligations, consultation on the proposed MRLs is also being conducted internationally by notifying the World Trade Organization, as coordinated by the Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point.

The proposed MRL, to be added to the MRLs already established for flonicamid, are as follows.

MRLs established in Canada may be found using the Maximum Residue Limit Database on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage. The database allows users to search for established MRLs, regulated under the Pest Control Products Act, both for pesticides or for food commodities.

International Situation and Trade Implications

The MRL proposed for flonicamid in Canada is the same as the corresponding American tolerance as listed in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 180, by pesticide. Currently, there is no Codex MRL^{Footnote 1} listed for citrus fruits on the Codex Alimentarius Pesticide Residues in Food and Feed webpage.

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRLs for tebuconazole up to 75 days from the date of publication of this document. Please forward your comments to Publications. The PMRA will consider all comments received before making a final decision on the proposed MRLs. Comments received will be addressed in a separate document linked to this PMRL. The established MRLs will be legally in effect as of the date that they are entered into the Maximum Residue Limit Database.

Appendix I

Summary of Field Trial Data Used to Support the Proposed Maximum Residue Limits

Residue data for flonicamid on oranges, grapefruits and lemons were submitted to support the maximum residue limit on imported citrus fruits (Crop Group 10-Revised). In addition, a processing study in treated oranges was reviewed to determine the potential for concentration of residues of flonicamid into processed commodities.

Maximum Residue Limit(s)

The recommendation for a maximum residue limit (MRL) for flonicamid was based upon the residues observed in crop commodities treated according to label directions in the exporting country, and the guidance provided in the OECD MRL Calculator. Table A1 summarizes the residue data used to calculate the proposed MRL for imported crops from Crop Group 10-Revised.

Following the review of all available data, the MRL as proposed in Table 1 is recommended to cover total residues of flonicamid. Total residues of flonicamid in these imported crop commodities at the proposed MRL will not pose an unacceptable risk to any segment of the population, including infants, children, adults and seniors.