Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2021-15, Methoprene

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
18 May 2021
ISSN: 1925-0843 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2021-15E-PDF (PDF version)

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has concluded that the addition of a new use on dairy cattle to the labels of the liquid feed supplements to which is added Altosid 1% Liquid MUP, containing technical grade S-methoprene, is acceptable. The specific uses approved in Canada are detailed on the labels of the liquid feed supplements to which is added Altosid 1% Liquid MUP, Pest Control Products Act Registration Number 33454.

The evaluation of this S-methoprene use indicated that the end-use product has value and the human health and environmental risks associated with the new uses are acceptable.

Before registering a pesticide for food use in Canada, the PMRA must determine the quantity of residues that are likely to remain in or on the food when the pesticide is used according to label directions and that such residues will not be a concern to human health. This quantity is then legally established as a maximum residue limit (MRL). 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 S-methoprene (as methoprene) is being conducted via this document (see Next steps).

To comply with Canada’s international trade obligations, consultation on the proposed MRL 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 methoprene, 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

MRLs may vary from one country to another for a number of reasons. For livestock commodities, differences in MRLs can be due to different livestock feed items and practices.

Table 2 compares the MRL proposed for methoprene on milk in Canada with the corresponding American tolerance and Codex MRL.^{Footnote 1} American tolerances are listed inthe Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 180, by pesticide. A listing of established Codex MRLs is available on the Codex Alimentarius Pesticide Index webpage, by pesticide or commodity.

Next steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRL for methoprene 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 MRL. Comments received will be addressed in a separate document linked to this PMRL. The established MRL will be legally in effect as of the date that it is entered into the Maximum Residue Limit Database.

Appendix I

Based on the anticipated residues in milk and the feeding study, an MRL of 0.01 ppm is proposed to cover the potential transfer of residues of S-methoprene from the liquid feed supplements to which has been added Altosid 1% Liquid MUP.

Following the reassessment of available data, an MRL of 0.01 ppm for milk as proposed in Table 1 is recommended to cover residues of S-methoprene. Residues in milk at the proposed MRL will not pose an unacceptable risk to any segment of the population, including infants, children, adults and seniors.