Proposed Registration Decision PRD2026-04, Etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray

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• Pest Management Regulatory Agency
• 12 March 2026
• ISSN: 1925-0886 (PDF version)
• Catalogue number: H113-9/2026-4E-PDF (PDF version)

Summary

Table of contents

• Proposed Registration Decision for Etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray
• What does Health Canada consider when making a registration decision?
• What is Etofenprox?
• Health considerations
• Environmental considerations
• Value considerations
• Measures to minimize risk
• Next steps
• Other information

Proposed registration decision for etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray

Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, is proposing registration for the sale and use of Etofenprox Technical, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray, containing the technical grade active ingredient etofenprox, to control arthropod pests in and on various structures, including buildings, modes of transportation, kennels, and pet bedding, by broadcast, spot, crack and crevice, perimeter, void, and furniture treatments.

An evaluation of available scientific information found that, under the approved conditions of use, the health and environmental risks and the value of the pest control products are acceptable.

This summary describes the key points of the evaluation, while the Science evaluation in the full version of Proposed Registration Decision PRD2026-04, Etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray provides detailed technical information on the human health, environmental and value assessments of etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray.

What does Health Canada consider when making a registration decision?

The key objective of the Pest Control Products Act is to prevent unacceptable risks to individuals and the environment from the use of pest control products. Health or environmental risk is considered acceptable^{Footnote 1} if there is reasonable certainty that no harm to human health, future generations or the environment will result from use or exposure to the product under its proposed conditions of registration. The Act also requires that products have value^{Footnote 2} when used according to the label directions. Conditions of registration may include precautionary measures on the product label to further reduce risk.

To reach its decisions, the PMRA applies modern, rigorous risk-assessment methods and policies. These methods consider the unique characteristics of sensitive subpopulations in humans (for example, children). They also consider the unique characteristics of organisms in the environment. These methods and policies also consider the nature of the effects observed and the uncertainties when predicting the impact of pesticides. For more information on how the Health Canada regulates pesticides, the assessment process and risk-reduction programs, please visit the Pesticides and pest management portion of Canada.ca.

Before making a final registration decision on etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray, Health Canada's PMRA will consider any written comments received from the public in response to PRD2026-04.^{Footnote 3} Health Canada will then publish a Registration Decision^{Footnote 4} on etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray, which will include the decision, the reasons for it, a summary of comments received on the proposed registration decision and Health Canada's response to these comments.

For more details on the information presented in this summary, please refer to the Science Evaluation of this PRD2026-04.

What is etofenprox?

Etofenprox is an insecticide that kills insects by contact or ingestion. It is an active ingredient in products used to kill structural pests found inside and/or on the exterior surfaces of commercial, industrial and residential structures and transportation vehicles.

Health considerations

Can approved uses of etofenprox affect human health?

Products containing etofenprox are unlikely to affect your health when used according to proposed label directions.

Potential exposure to etofenprox may occur when coming into contact with treated surfaces, or when handling and applying the end-use products. When assessing health risks, two key factors are considered:

• the levels at which no health effects occur and
• the levels to which people may be exposed

The dose levels used to assess risks are selected to protect the most sensitive human population (for example, children and nursing parents). As such, sex and gender are taken into account in the risk assessment. Only uses for which the exposure is well below levels that cause no effects in animal testing are considered acceptable for registration.

Toxicology studies in laboratory animals describe potential health effects from varying levels of exposure to a chemical and identify the dose level at which no effects are observed. The health effects noted in animals occur at dose levels more than 100-times higher (and often much higher) than levels to which humans are normally exposed when pesticide products are used according to label directions.

In laboratory animals, the acute toxicity of etofenprox was low via the oral, dermal, and inhalation routes of exposure. Etofenprox was minimally irritating to the eyes and skin and did not cause an allergic skin reaction.

The acute toxicity of the end-use product RF2129 EC containing etofenprox and piperonyl butoxide was slight via the oral route of exposure. RF2129 EC was also mildly irritating to the eyes and skin; consequently, the signal word "CAUTION" and the hazard statements "POISON" and "EYE AND SKIN IRRITANT" are required on the label. It was of low acute toxicity dermally and through inhalation exposure, and did not cause an allergic skin reaction.

The acute toxicity of the end-use product RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray containing etofenprox, (s)-methoprene, tetramethrin, piperonyl butoxide, and pyrethrins was low via the oral, dermal, and inhalation routes of exposure. It was slightly irritating to the skin, non-irritating to the eyes and did not cause an allergic skin reaction.

Registrant-supplied short- and long-term (lifetime) animal toxicity tests, as well as information from the published scientific literature, were assessed for the potential of etofenprox to cause neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, chronic toxicity, cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, and various other effects. The most sensitive endpoints for risk assessment were effects on the eyes, kidneys, and nervous system, as well as survival of the young. There was no evidence to suggest that etofenprox damaged genetic material. Etofenprox did, however, cause thyroid tumours in rats and kidney tumours in mice. There was an indication that the young were more sensitive than the adult animal. The risk assessment protects against the effects noted above and other potential effects by ensuring that the level of exposure to humans is well below the lowest dose level at which these effects occurred in animal tests.

Health risks to workers

Occupational risks are not of health concern when RF2129 EC is used according to the proposed label directions, which include protective measures.

RF2129 EC is a commercial class end-use product formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate. Workers handling RF2129 EC can come in direct contact with etofenprox residues through the dermal and inhalation routes during mixing, loading, application, clean-up and repair activities. Health risks to workers were of concern when handling the standard amount of diluted product per day and wearing a single layer of personal protective equipment (PPE). As such, additional PPE and restrictions on the amount handled per day are required to mitigate risk (Appendix I, Table 4 of PRD2026-04). It is also recommended that the applicator wear appropriate eye, head and respiratory protection when applying above waist height and in confined spaces. Taking into consideration the label precautionary statements, exposure to workers during handling activities are not of health concern.

Health risks in residential and other non-occupational environments

Risks to people in residential and other non-occupational environments are not of health concern when RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray are used according to the proposed label directions and precautionary statements.

RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray is a domestic class end-use product and is applied by adults in residential environments. As such, adults may be exposed to etofenprox through the dermal and inhalation routes during application. RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray can be applied in residential areas, therefore, adults and children may be exposed to etofenprox residues by the dermal route from both end-use products when entering treated areas. Children may also be exposed to etofenprox residues as a result of hand- or object-to-mouth transfer from treated surfaces. No risks of concern were identified through any route of exposure for any age group.

Aggregate health risks from dietary and residential exposures

Etofenprox is not proposed for use on food/feed crops so an aggregate assessment was not conducted.

As etofenprox is not proposed for use on food crops, dietary exposure (food + drinking water) is not expected. Therefore, an aggregate assessment (dietary + residential exposure) was not conducted.

Health risks to bystanders

Bystander risks are not of health concern when RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray are used according to the proposed label directions.

Label directions prohibit people (other than the applicator) and pets from being present during application. As such, bystander exposure is expected to be minimal, so health risks are not of concern.

Environmental considerations

What happens when etofenprox is introduced into the Environment?

When used according to label directions, risks associated with etofenprox and associated end-use products are acceptable from the viewpoint of environmental protection.

Etofenprox is for use as broadcast, spot, crack and crevice, perimeter void, and furniture treatments in and on non-food/non-feed areas of buildings, structures and modes of transportation to control a wide variety of arthropod pests using a low-pressure sprayer, void injector, or as an aerosol spray where the product is applied directly to the target pests. As such, environmental releases are expected to be minimal, and a quantitative risk assessment was not conducted. Moreover, exposure to non-target organisms is unlikely and risks to the environment are not expected when the end-use products, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray, are used according to label directions.

Value considerations

What is the value of RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray?

They are a low-pressure sprayer and void injector or aerosol spray to kill a variety of structural pests (for example, ants, cockroaches, ticks, wasps) inside and/or on the exterior surfaces of structures and vehicles.

These products kill labelled structural pests when applied as broadcast sprays, spot treatments, void injections, indoor perimeter treatments and/or crack and crevice treatments. RF2129 EC is a commercial class product and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray is a domestic class product. Some of these pests, such as cockroaches, impact the health and well-being of people.

Measures to minimize risk

Labels of registered pesticide products include specific instructions for use. Directions include risk-reduction measures to protect human health and the environment. These directions must be followed by law.

The key risk-reduction measures being proposed on the label of Etofenprox Technical, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray to address the potential risks identified in this assessment are as follows.

Key risk-reduction measures - Human health

Health risks to workers were of concern when handling the standard amount of diluted product per day and wearing a single layer of personal protective equipment (PPE). As such, additional PPE and restrictions on the amount handled per day are required to mitigate risk (Appendix I, Table 4 of PRD2026-04).

Key risk-reduction measures - Environment

A label statement indicating toxicity to aquatic organisms is required.

Next steps

Before making a final registration decision on etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray, Health Canada's PMRA will consider any written comments received from the public in response to PRD2026-04 up to 30 days from the date of publication (by 11 April 2026) of PRD2026-04. If more time is required to provide comments, a request for an extension of an additional 15 days can be made. Your request must be submitted in writing to the PMRA's Publications Section within the 30-day consultation period.

Please forward all comments to PMRA Publications, through the Public Engagement Portal (Public Engagement Portal forms – Consultation Comment). Health Canada will then publish a Registration Decision, which will include its decision, the reasons for it, a summary of comments received on the proposed decision and Health Canada's response to these comments.

Other information

When the Health Canada makes its registration decision, it will publish a Registration Decision on etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray (based on the Science evaluation of PRD2026-04). In addition, the test data referenced in this consultation document will be available for public inspection, upon application, in the PMRA's Reading Room. For more information, please contact the PMRA's Pest Management Information Service.