Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2023-03, Sodium Chloride and Its Associated End-use Products

• Pest Management Regulatory Agency
• 26 June 2023
• ISSN: 1925-0967 (PDF version)
• Catalogue number: H113-27/2023-3E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of contents

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

Proposed re-evaluation decision

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

This Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2023-03, Sodium Chloride and Its Associated End-use Products presents the proposed regulatory decision for the re-evaluation of sodium chloride, including any 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.

Sodium chloride is a post-emergent herbicide applied as a directed spray to control weeds on non-cropland sites which include roadsides, highways, walkways, vacant lots, industrial sites, parks, playgrounds, cycleways, driveways, residential lands, sidewalks, pathways, and rights-of-way. Application of sodium chloride results in a loss in turgor pressure in the target plants through the rapid loss of water from the plant leaf cells, leading to the desiccation of the plant tissue. Currently registered products containing sodium chloride are listed in Appendix I of PRVD2023-03.

Based on available information, products containing sodium chloride were shown to have value in providing a pest management solution, and potential risks to human health (occupational, dietary, residential, and bystander) and the environment are considered to be acceptable when the proposed label directions are followed. Labels of registered pesticide products include specific directions for use. Directions include risk-reduction measures to protect human and environmental health and must be followed by law. As a result of the re-evaluation of sodium chloride, label updates, including standard drift statements, personal protective equipment (PPE), updated buffer zone label statements, and standard precautionary label statements are being proposed to meet current labelling standards and to improve clarity (Appendix II of PRVD2023-03).

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act and based on an evaluation of currently available scientific information, products containing sodium chloride (Appendix I of PRVD2023-03) are being proposed for continued registration in Canada, with the proposed label updates (Appendix II of PRVD2023-03).

All products containing sodium chloride 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 during the consultation period.

Next steps

The public, including the registrant and stakeholders, are encouraged to submit written comments and additional information during the 90-day public consultation period upon publication of this PRVD2023-03.

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.

Other information

When Health Canada makes its re-evaluation decision, it will publish a Re-evaluation Decision on sodium chloride (based on the Science Evaluation of PRVD2023-03). In addition, the test data referenced in this consultation document will be available for public inspection, upon application, in the PMRA's Reading Room.

Additional scientific information

Additional scientific data are not required at this time.