Re-evaluation Decision RVD2018-34, Dazomet and Its Associated End-use Products

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
29 October 2018
ISSN: 1925-0886 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-9/2018-34E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of Contents

• Re-evaluation Decision
• Regulatory Decision for Dazomet
• Risk Mitigation Measures
• Next Steps
• Other Information
• Appendix I Registered Dazomet Products in Canada
• Appendix II Label Amendments for Products Containing Dazomet

Re-evaluation Decision

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, all registered pesticides must be regularly 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 internationally accepted risk assessment methods as well as current risk management approaches and policies.

Dazomet is a non-selective pre-plant soil fumigant used to control pathogens including insects, nematodes, bacteria, fungi and weeds in soil. It is also used as a slimicide in industrial process fluids (for example, pulp and paper mills, recirculating water cooling towers and industrial air washers, and oilfield industry). In addition, dazomet is used as a material preservative (for example, in paint, coatings, clay slurries, and adhesives). Currently registered products containing dazomet are listed in Appendix I.

The use of dazomet as a material preservative is not part of this re-evaluation decision. Health Canada plans to assess the material preservative uses of dazomet as per the Re-evaluation Note REV2018-02, Approach for the Re-evaluation of Pesticides Used as Preservatives in Paints, Coatings and Related Uses. The use of dazomet for preservation of cutting fluids is no longer supported by the registrants and, therefore, will be removed from the end-use product labels.

This document presents the final regulatory decision^{Footnote 1} for the re-evaluation of dazomet. All pest control products containing dazomet that are registered in Canada are subject to this re-evaluation decision. Prior to finalizing this decision, Health Canada published the Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2018-09, Dazomet and Its Associated End-use Products^{Footnote 2}, for 90-day consultation.

No comments were received during the consultation period. Therefore, this decision is consistent with the proposed re-evaluation decision stated in PRVD2018-09.

A reference list of all data used as the basis for the re-evaluation decision is included in PRVD2018-09.

Regulatory Decision for Dazomet

Health Canada has completed the re-evaluation for dazomet. Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada has determined that the continued registration of products containing dazomet is acceptable. Following a scientific review of the available information, Health Canada has determined that the health and environmental risks and the value of dazomet continue to be acceptable provided that the required mitigation measures are implemented. Label amendments, as summarized below and listed in Appendix II, are required. No additional data are required at this time.

Risk Mitigation Measures

Registered pesticide product labels include specific directions for use. Directions must be followed by law and include risk mitigation measures to protect human health and the environment. The following label amendments are included as part of the re-evaluation:

Human Health

• Hazard label statements for all product labels
• End-use products registered for soil fumigation:
  • Updates to label statements related to the Nature of Restriction, to meet current labelling standards
• End-use products registered for use in industrial process fluids:
  • Closed delivery system for liquid formulations
  • Additional personal protective equipment for workers handling dazomet for use in water cooling systems and air washers
  • Precautionary statements regarding the need for adequate ventilation in enclosed facilities for use in pulp and paper

Environment

• Environmental precautions label statement

Next Steps

To comply with this decision, the required mitigation measures must be implemented on all product labels sold by registrants no later than 24 months after the publication date of this decision document. Appendix I lists the products containing dazomet that are registered under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act.

Other Information

Any person may file a notice of objection^{Footnote 3} regarding this decision on dazomet 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 Registered Dazomet Products in Canada

Appendix II Label Amendments for Products Containing Dazomet

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 provided below.

The following label statements are required:

1. The use of dazomet as a preservative of cutting fluid must be removed from the end-use product labels.
2. For technical grade, manufacturing concentrates, and end-use products containing dazomet, the following key signal words must be included on the primary panel of the label:
   • DANGER POISON
   • DANGER - CORROSIVE TO EYES
   • DANGER SKIN IRRITANT
   • POTENTIAL SKIN SENSITIZER
3. In the NATURE OF RESTRICTION section of the primary display panel of the end-use product registered for soil fumigation (Reg. No. 15032), the following statement must be removed:
   • "This product is only to be used by individuals holding an appropriate pesticide applicator certificate or license recognized by the provincial/territorial pesticide regulatory agency where the pesticide application is to occur. This restriction applies to all fumigant handlers, as defined in the DIRECTIONS FOR USE, HANDLER RESTRICTIONS section of this label."
   • and replaced with:
   • "This product is only to be sold to and used by individuals holding an appropriate pesticide applicator certificate or licence recognized by the provincial/territorial pesticide regulatory agency where the pesticide application is to occur. This restriction applies to all fumigant handlers, as defined in the DIRECTIONS FOR USE, HANDLER RESTRICTIONS section of this label."
4. The following statements must be included in a section entitled PRECAUTIONS:
   1. For all end-use products:
      • "Fatal or Poisonous if swallowed or absorbed through the skin. DO NOT get on skin or on clothing. Harmful if inhaled. Avoid inhaling/breathing vapour or sprays. CORROSIVE to the eye and to skin. DO NOT get in eyes or on skin. Potential skin sensitizer."
   2. For end-use products registered for use in recirculating water cooling systems and industrial air washers:
      • "Wear coveralls over a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, shoes plus socks, chemical-resistant gloves, and protective eyewear during mixing, loading, application and all other handling activities."
   3. For end-use products registered for pulp and paper uses:
      • "Use with adequate ventilation. DO NOT apply the product in open systems."
5. The following statements must be included in a section entitled DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
   1. For liquid end-use products (for example, solutions, suspensions, emulsifiable concentrates) registered for use in industrial process fluids (oilfield, pulp and paper, or recirculating water cooling systems and industrial air washer):
      • "For use with closed loading and transfer systems only."
   2. For end-use products registered for use in industrial process fluids (oilfield, pulp and paper, or recirculating water cooling systems and industrial air washer):
      • "DO NOT discharge effluent containing this product or the biocide produced into lakes, streams, ponds, estuaries, oceans or other waters unless the effluent has been detoxified by suitable means."
   3. For all end-use products:
      • "DO NOT contaminate irrigation or drinking water supplies or aquatic habitats by cleaning of equipment or disposal of wastes.
      • As this product is not registered for the control of pests in aquatic systems, DO NOT use to control aquatic pests."
6. The following statement must be included in a section entitled ENVIRONMENTAL PRECAUTIONS for all end-use products:
   • "Toxic to aquatic organisms"
7. For all end-use products, the following statement must be included in a section entitled STORAGE:
   • "To prevent contamination store this product away from food or feed."