Changes to the registration of boron pesticides

All pesticides used in Canada must be registered under the Pest Control Products Act. Pesticides are re-evaluated to ensure that they continue to meet health and environmental requirements. Re-evaluation may result in the cancellation of a product or product uses. Health Canada may also request changes to a product's label, including mitigation measures, use sites and application methods.

The re-evaluation decision RVD2016-01, published on July 22, 2016, includes the following active ingredients: boric acid, borax (pentahydrate), borax (disodium tetraborate decahydrate), disodium octaborate tetrahydrate and zinc borate. Highlights of the re-evaluation decision are summarized below.

Cancelled products, as of July 22, 2019

Stop using the following domestic products:

• Dust and granular products
• Products in solution, except in sealed bait stations or localized gel treatments

The sale of these products is prohibited as of July 22, 2018.

Changes to the label of boron pesticides, as of July 22, 2018

Cancelled uses for commercial products

• Application by brush of solution or soluble powder formulations
• Use of dust or soluble powder products in poultry houses and barns

Other risk reduction measures

For domestic use bait stations or gel formulation

• “Apply/use only in areas inaccessible to children and pets.”

For all commercial use products

• “Apply/use only in areas inaccessible to children and pets.”
• “Do not apply as a broadcast application.”
• “Visible dust/powder must be removed or wiped away after application to voids.”
• Update to the personal protective equipment required for mixing, loading and applying

For all commercial use solution and soluble powder formulations used for wood treatment

• “Treated wood must be sealed or used in locations where post-application exposure will not occur.”

For commercial use soluble powder formulations used as an additive in material preservation process

• Bulk containers: “Industrial users of the product must be equipped to handle the powdered product using closed system application/loading equipment (i.e. screw feeder apparatus). Bulk containers (1134 kg) must be used”
• Other containers, when manually loaded : “Do not handle more than 113 kg (5 × 22.7 kg bags) in one day.”

Users must follow the instructions on the updated labels.
Using a pesticide contrary to the label directions is a violation of the Pest Control Products Act.

Read and follow the label

All pesticides registered in Canada have a Health Canada-approved label with a registration number. Read the pesticide label carefully, as it contains specific information on how to use it.

To find the most up-to-date label, use our online label search tool, or search for “Health Canada pesticide labels” using your favourite search engine.