Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2022-17, Quizalofop-p-ethyl and Its Associated End-use Products

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
29 July 2022
ISSN: 1925-0967 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-27/2022-17E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of Contents

• Proposed re-evaluation decision for quizalofop-p-ethyl and associated end-use products
• Proposed re-evaluation decision for quizalofop-p-ethyl
• Risk mitigation measures
• International context
• Next steps
• Other information
• Additional scientific information

Proposed re-evaluation decision for quizalofop-p-ethyl and associated end-use products

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

Quizalofop-p-ethyl is a selective systemic, grass-controlling herbicide registered for postemergent control of annual and perennial grass weeds in a variety of crops such as major field crops, cucurbit vegetables, horticultural crops, forage crops for seed production and many minor specialty crops including industrial hemp grown for fibre, seed and oil. It is applied using ground or aerial equipment. Currently registered products containing quizalofop-p-ethyl can be found in the Pesticide Product Information Database and in Appendix I of the full version of Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2022-17, Quizalofop-p-ethyl and Its Associated End-use Products.

This document (PRVD2022-17) presents the proposed re-evaluation decision for quizalofop-p-ethyl including the proposed amendments (risk mitigation measures) to protect human health and the environment, as well as the science evaluation on which the proposed decision is based. All products containing quizalofop-p-ethyl that are registered in Canada are subject to this proposed re-evaluation decision. This document is subject to a 90-day public consultation period, ^{Footnote 1} during which the public (including the pesticide manufacturers and stakeholders) may submit written comments and additional information to PMRA Publications. The final re-evaluation decision will be published after taking into consideration the comments and information received during the consultation period.

Proposed re-evaluation decision for quizalofop-p-ethyl

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act and based on an evaluation of available scientific information, Health Canada is proposing continued registration of all uses of quizalofop-p-ethyl and associated end-use products registered for sale and use in Canada.

With respect to human health, potential risks from dietary (food and drinking water), occupational, and non-occupational (bystander) exposure were shown to be acceptable when quizalofop-p-ethyl is used according to the proposed updated conditions of registration, which include label amendments to meet current standards such as updates to personal protective equipment for mixers, loaders and applicators, standard restricted-entry intervals, re-treatment and preharvest intervals (PHIs), and a best practice label statement to minimize the potential for spray drift.

The environmental risk assessment found that potential risks to the environment associated with the use of quizalofop-p-ethyl were shown to be acceptable when used according to proposed conditions of registration, which includes new mitigation measures, such as precautionary statements, and spray buffer zones for the protection of terrestrial and aquatic habitats.

Quizalofop-p-ethyl has value in providing effective control of perennial grass weeds and it is the only herbicide registered for use on hemp and Ethiopian mustard.

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 proposed label amendments including any revised/updated label statements and/or mitigation measures, as a result of the re-evaluation of quizalofop-p-ethyl, are summarized below. Refer to Appendix IX of PRVD2022-17 for details.

Human health - Risk mitigation:

To protect workers (mixer/loader/applicator) and those entering treated areas, and bystanders the following risk-reduction measures are proposed:

• Updates to personal protective equipment (PPE) label statements as per current labeling standards.
• A standard restricted-entry interval (REI) of 12 hours is required to protect workers entering treated areas, unless a more restrictive REI is specified on the labels.

Other label updates:

• A standard drift mitigation statement is required to minimize the potential for spray drift to bystanders.

Label improvements to meet current standards:
As a result of the re-evaluation of quizalofop-p-ethyl, Health Canada is proposing additional revisions to the quizalofop-p-ethyl labels to update label statements to current policies.

A re-treatment interval of 14 days is proposed for the use on sugarbeets. Additionally, the registered uses on Oriental mustard (including canola quality brassica juncea) (condiment and oilseed type), yellow mustard, brown mustard, crambe, and chickpeas do not have specified PHIs on all current labels. New PHIs are proposed for these uses based on registrant supplied information, and are indicated in Appendix IX of PRVD2022-17.

Environment - Risk mitigation:

To protect the environment, the following risk-reduction measures are proposed:

• Precautionary statements are required to inform users of the toxicity of quizalofop-p-ethyl to aquatic organisms and terrestrial plants
• Updated spray buffer zones for the protection of non-target terrestrial and aquatic habitats
• Precautionary label statement to inform users of the presence of petroleum distillates in quizalofop-p-ethyl products, and their toxicity to aquatic organisms
• Precautionary label statements regarding the potential for runoff to adjacent aquatic habitats for sites with characteristics that may be conducive to runoff and when heavy rain is forecast

Label improvements to meet current standards:

• Updated discharge of effluent statements
• Updated disposal statements
• Updated use directions and use precautions

International context

Quizalofop-p-ethyl is currently acceptable for use in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, including the United States, the European Union, and Australia. No decision by an OECD member country to prohibit all uses of quizalofop-p-ethyl for health or environmental reasons has been identified as of 9 May 2022.

Next steps

Upon publication of PRVD2022-17, the public, including the registrants and stakeholders, are encouraged to submit additional information that could be used to refine risk assessments or comments during the 90-day public consultation period.

All comments received during the 90-day public consultation period will be taken into consideration in preparation of 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.

Refer to Appendix I of PRVD2022-17 for details on specific products impacted by this proposed decision.

Other information

The relevant confidential test data on which the proposed decision is based (see References Section of PRVD2022-17) 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.

Additional scientific information

No additional scientific data are required at this time.