Re-evaluation Decision RVD2016-09, Copper Pesticides Environmental Assessment of Wood Preservative, Material Preservative and Antifouling Uses

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
07 October 2016
ISSN: 1925-1025 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-28/2016-9E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of Contents

• Re-evaluation Decision
• Requirements for continued registration
• Other Information
• Appendix I Label Amendments for Copper Products Containing Cuprous Oxide, Copper Hydroxide, Metallic Copper and Copper Present as Mixed Copper Ethanolamine Complexes
• Appendix II Registered Cuprous Oxide, Copper Hydroxide, Metallic Copper and Copper Present as Mixed Copper Ethanolamine Complexes Products with Antifouling, Wood Preservative and/or Material Preservative Uses, as of 20 October 2015

Re-evaluation Decision

Cuprous oxide, copper hydroxide, metallic copper and copper present as mixed ethanolamine complexes are registered in Canada as wood preservatives (for example remedial), material preservatives (shingles and non-food contact surfaces) and/or antifouling coatings (such as boat/ship hulls/bottoms and aquaculture equipment). There are numerous copper-containing pesticide products that are currently registered in Canada under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, including technical grade active ingredients, a manufacturing concentrate, commercial and domestic class end-use products.

After a re-evaluation of copper-containing pesticide products, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, is granting continued registration of copper-containing pesticide products for sale and use in Canada. An evaluation of available scientific information found that copper-containing pesticide products do not present unacceptable risks to human health or the environment when used according to the requirements of continued registration listed below, which include revised label directions for all products. Appendix I lists the required label amendments, and Appendix II lists currently registered copper-containing pesticide products. No additional data are requested at this time.

Requirements for continued registration

• Additional health-related statements to meet current labelling standards
• Updated environmental hazards statements to meet current labelling standards

The PMRA's pesticide re-evaluation program considers potential risks, as well as value, of pesticide products to ensure they meet modern standards established to protect human health and the environment. Regulatory Directive DIR2001-03, PMRA Re-evaluation Program, presents the details of the re-evaluation activities and program structure. Re-evaluation draws on data from registrants, information from other regulatory agencies and any other relevant information available.

This re-evaluation decision^Footnote1 was proposed in the consultation document, Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2016-14, Copper Pesticides Environmental Assessment of Wood Preservative, Material Preservative and Antifouling Uses. No comments were received during the consultation process. Therefore, this decision is consistent with the proposed re-evaluation decision stated in PRVD2016-14. Please refer to both the Overview and more detailed Science Evaluation of PRVD2016-14 for the human health, environmental and value considerations underlying this re-evaluation decision.

A reference list for all data used as the basis for the re-evaluation decision is also included in PRVD2016-14.

To comply with this decision, the required label statements must be implemented on all products labels sold by registrants no later than 24 months after the publication date of this document. Registrants of the copper-containing pesticide products will be informed of the specific requirements affecting their product registration(s) and of the regulatory options available to them.

Other Information

Any person may file a notice of objection^Footnote2 regarding this decision on copper-containing pesticide products within 60 days from the date of publication of this Re-evaluation Decision. For more information regarding the basis for objecting (which must be based on scientific grounds), please refer to the Pesticides and Pest Management portion of Health Canada's website (Request a Reconsideration of Decision) or contact the PMRA's Pest Management Information Service.

Appendix I Label Amendments for Copper Products Containing Cuprous Oxide, Copper Hydroxide, Metallic Copper and Copper Present as Mixed Copper Ethanolamine Complexes

The label amendments presented below do not include all label requirements for individual end-use products, such as first aid statements, disposal statements, precautionary statements and supplementary protective equipment. Information on labels of currently registered products should not be removed unless it contradicts the label statements below.

Domestic End-use Product Labels

The labels of domestic class end-use products registered for use as antifoulants or remedial wood preservatives in Canada must be amended to include the following statements.

A. For products registered for use as antifouling paints/coatings

1. The following statement must be included in a section entitled DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
2. The following statement must be included in a section entitled ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS.

B. For products registered for use as remedial wood preservatives

1. The following statement must be included in a section entitled DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
2. The following statement must be included in a section entitled ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS:

Commercial End-use Product Labels

The labels of commercial class end-use products registered for use as antifoulants, wood preservatives or material preservatives in Canada must be amended to include the following statements.

A. For all products

1. The following statements must be included in a section entitled DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
2. The following statement must be included in a section entitled ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS:
3. The following statement must be included in a section entitled DISPOSAL:

B. For products registered for use as antifouling paints/coatings

• The following statement must be included in a section entitled DIRECTIONS FOR USE:

C. For products registered for use as heavy-duty wood preservatives

• The following statements must be included in a section entitled DIRECTIONS FOR USE:

D. For products registered for use as remedial wood preservatives

• The following statement must be included in a section entitled DIRECTIONS FOR USE:

Appendix II Registered Cuprous Oxide, Copper Hydroxide, Metallic Copper and Copper Present as Mixed Copper Ethanolamine Complexes Products with Antifouling, Wood Preservative and/or Material Preservative Uses, as of 20 October 2015