Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2022-04, Corn gluten meal and its associated end-use products

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
22 March 2022
ISSN: 1925-0967 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-27/2022-4E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of contents

• Proposed re-evaluation decision
• Next steps
• Additional scientific information
• Other information

Proposed re-evaluation decision

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

Corn gluten meal is registered as a herbicide on turf grass, residential lawns, municipal and commercial properties, golf courses, sports fields, parks and sod farms for pre-emergent inhibition of seed germination of dandelion, crabgrass (smooth and large) and white clover. It is also registered for flower, vegetable and fruit gardens for pre-emergent inhibition of seed germination of weeds. They are registered as commercial and domestic class products (formulated as a solid or granular). Currently registered technical grade active ingredient and end use products containing corn gluten meal are listed in Appendix I of the full version of PRVD2022-04, Corn gluten meal and its associated end-use products.

This document (PRVD2022-04) presents the proposed regulatory decision for the re-evaluation of corn gluten meal products, including the proposed risk mitigation measures.

When the label directions are followed, potential risks to human health (occupational, dietary, residential and bystander) and the environment (aquatic and terrestrial organisms) are considered to be acceptable. Corn gluten meal and its end-use products are also shown to have value in providing a pest management solution. Currently, most labels indicate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the purpose of good hygiene practices. To mitigate potential allergic reactions, PPE for commercial products is proposed as a requirement. Furthermore, to meet the current labelling standards and for consistency, PPE is recommended for good hygiene practice for all domestic products, and, to meet current labelling standards, precautionary statement, and environmental statements (disposal and storage) are proposed to be updated. In addition, based on the review of information from incident reports, a precautionary statement to prevent pets from consuming the applied product is proposed. See Appendix II of PRVD2022-04.

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, and based on the evaluation of currently available scientific information, products containing corn gluten meal (listed in Appendix I of PRVD2022-04) are proposed for continued registration in Canada, with the proposed label amendments (Appendix II of PRVD2022-04). Registered pesticide product labels include specific directions for use. Directions include risk mitigation measures to protect human health and the environment that must be followed by law.

All products containing corn gluten meal registered in Canada are subject to this proposed re-evaluation decision. This document is subject to a public consultation,^{Footnote 1} during which written comments and additional information may be submitted to PMRA Publications. The final re-evaluation decision will be published taking into consideration the comments and information received.

Next steps

The public, including the registrants and stakeholders, are encouraged to submit comments and additional information during the 90-day public consultation period upon publication of this proposed re-evaluation decision.

All comments received during the 90-day public consultation period will be taken into consideration in preparation of the re-evaluation decision document,^{Footnote 2} which could result in revised risk mitigation measures. The re-evaluation decision document will include the final re-evaluation decision, the reasons for it and a summary of comments received on the proposed re-evaluation decision with Health Canada’s responses.

Additional scientific information

Additional scientific data are not required at this time.

Other information

The relevant confidential test data on which the proposed decision is based (see References section of this document) 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.