Re-evaluation Decision RVD2018-09, Hydrogen Peroxide and Its Associated End-use Products

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
30 April 2018
ISSN: 1925-1025 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-28/2018-9E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of Contents

• Re-evaluation Decision
• Regulatory Decision for Hydrogen Peroxide
• Risk Mitigation Measures
• Next Steps
• Other Information
• Appendix I Registered Hydrogen Peroxide Products in Canada
• Appendix II Comments and Responses
• Appendix III Label Amendments for Products Containing Hydrogen Peroxide

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 data and information from pesticide manufacturers, published scientific reports and other regulatory agencies. The PMRA applies internationally accepted risk assessment methods as well as current risk management approaches and policies.

Hydrogen peroxide is used as an algaecide, bactericide, fungicide, slimicide, sanitizer and acaricide and has a broad use pattern including use in aquaculture, agriculture, industry and as a hard and soft surface sanitizer. Currently registered products containing hydrogen peroxide are listed in Appendix I.

This document presents the final regulatory decision^{Footnote 1}  for the re-evaluation of hydrogen peroxide, including the required risk mitigation measures to protect human health and the environment. All products containing hydrogen peroxide that are registered in Canada are subject to this re-evaluation decision. This re-evaluation decision has undergone a 90-day consultation period as the Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2017-12, Hydrogen Peroxide.^{Footnote 2}

The PMRA received one comment from the American Chemistry Council’s Hydrogen Peroxide Panel supporting the proposed decision and label amendments (Appendix II). Therefore, this decision is consistent with the proposed re-evaluation decision stated in PRVD2017-12.

A reference list for all data used as the basis for the re-evaluation decision is included in PRVD2017-12.

Regulatory Decision for Hydrogen Peroxide

The PMRA has completed the re-evaluation of hydrogen peroxide. Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, the PMRA has determined that continued registration of products containing hydrogen peroxide is acceptable. An evaluation of available scientific information found that uses of hydrogen peroxide products meet current standards for protection of human health and the environment when used according to the conditions of registration, which include required amendments to label directions (Appendix III). No additional data are requested.

Risk Mitigation Measures

Registered pesticide product labels include specific direction for use. Directions include risk mitigation measures to protect human health and the environment and must be followed by law.

Human Health

• Additional precautionary label statement to minimize bystander exposure from spray drift

Environment

• Buffer zone to protect non-target organisms
• Environmental Precautions and Directions for Use label statements

Next Steps

To comply with this decision, the required mitigation measures must be implemented on products labels sold by registrants no later than 24 months after the publication date of this decision document. Appendix I lists the products containing hydrogen peroxide 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 hydrogen peroxide 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 Canada.ca (Request a Reconsideration of Decision) or contact the PMRA’s Pest Management Information Service.

Appendix I Registered Hydrogen Peroxide Products in Canada

Appendix II Comments and Responses

In response to the consultation for the hydrogen peroxide proposed re-evaluation decision, the following comment supporting the proposed re-evaluation decision was received.

1.0 Comment Related to the Re-evaluation Assessment

The American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Hydrogen Peroxide Panel (Panel) reviewed the draft consultation document and believes it represents an accurate summary characterization of hydrogen peroxide’s physical and chemical properties, health information, commercial and consumer uses, and potential exposure and risk mitigation information. The Panel supports the PMRA’s conclusion “that products containing hydrogen peroxide for sale and use in Canada are acceptable for continued registration provided that the label amendments … are implemented”.

Appendix III Label Amendments for Products Containing Hydrogen Peroxide

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.

I) For products registered for use on outdoor ornamentals and turf, under PRECAUTIONS, the following statements must be added:

II) For products used in aquaculture add the following text to USE ESTRICTIONS:

III) For all products (excluding those registered for use on outdoor ornamentals and turf) add to ENVIRONMENTAL PRECAUTIONS:

IV) For products registered for use on outdoor ornamentals and turf add the following text to ENVIRONMENTAL PRECAUTIONS:

V) For products registered for use on greenhouse tomatoes, remove the following text under ENVIRONMENTAL PRECAUTIONS:

VI) For products registered for use on outdoor ornamentals and turf, add the following text to the DIRECTIONS FOR USE:

Buffer zones:

VII) For products registered for use in pulp and paper mills, recirculating water systems, sewage and waste water treatment and on-shore oilfield and gas-field well operations the following statement must be included in a section entitled DIRECTION FOR USE:

VIII) For products registered for use in greenhouses, the following statement must be included in a section entitled ENVIRONMENTAL PRECAUTIONS:

IX) The following text must be included under DIRECTIONS FOR USE on all product labels, except on products registered for controlling sea lice and ready-to-use products:

X) For products co-formulated with peroxyacetic acid, the following statements must be included in a section entitled DISPOSAL:

For returnable containers:

For containers that can be refilled for the user by the distributor/dealer:

For non-returnable non-recyclable or non-refillable containers: