August 11, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-100-10445-4 (978-1-100-10446-1)
Cat. No.: H113-24/2008-26E ( H113-24/2008-26E-PDF)
(PMRL2008-26)

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Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), under the authority of the  Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), is proposing to establish maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pyraclostrobin on leafy vegetables (Crop Groups 4 and 5), citrus fruits (Crop Group 10), pome fruits (Crop Group 11), citrus oil, hops, mangoes, mint, papayas, strawberries, sunflower seeds and turnip tops to permit the import and sale of the abovementioned foods containing these residues. See Appendix I for a list of crop group commodities.

Pyraclostrobin is a fungicide used to control various fungi on food commodities and is currently registered for use in Canada on berries, bulb vegetables, cereal grains, corn, cucurbit vegetables, fruiting vegetables, legume vegetables, root vegetables, stone fruits and strawberries.

The PMRA has determined the quantity of residues that are likely to remain in or on the imported food commodities when pyraclostrobin is used according to label directions in the exporting country. The Agency has also determined such residues will not pose an unacceptable dietary health risk and is proposing to establish corresponding import MRLs. An MRL applies to the identified raw agricultural food commodity as well as to any processed food product that contains it, except where separate MRLs are specified for the raw agricultural commodity and a processed product made from it.

Details regarding the establishment of these import MRLs can be found in the corresponding Evaluation Report that is available on the PMRA website, under Public Registry, Product Information, Current Applications¹.

Consultation on the proposed import MRLs for pyraclostrobin is being conducted via this document (see Next Steps).

The first Canadian MRLs for pyraclostrobin were established on 09 July 2008 with the publication of EMRL2008-02, Transitioning the Legal Establishment of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Pesticides From the Food and Drugs Act to the Pest Control Products Act: Establishment of MRLs, which included MRLs for citrus commodities and strawberries that are being proposed for amendment as a result of this action. The proposed import MRLs for pyraclostrobin in Canada in or on food are as follows.

Table 1 Proposed Maximum Residue Limits for Pyraclostrobin

Common Name	Residue Definition	MRL (ppm)	Food Commodities
Pyraclostrobin	methyl [2-[[[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy]methyl]phe nyl] methoxycarbamate, including the metabolite [2-[[[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy]methyl]phe nyl] carbamate	29	Leafy vegetables (except Brassica vegetables) (Crop Group 4)
		23	Hops
		16	Leafy Brassica greens (Crop Subgroup 5B), turnip tops
		9.0*	Citrus oil
		8.0	Mint
		5.0	Head and stem Brassica (Crop Subgroup 5A)
		2.0**	Citrus fruits (Crop Group 10)
		1.5	Pomme fruits (Crop Group 11)
		1.2***	Strawberries
		0.3	Sunflower seeds
		0.1	Mangoes, papayas

* EMRL2008-02 established an import MRL of 4.0 ppm for citrus oil, but a higher MRL is required due to a change in the preharvest interval (PHI).
** EMRL2008-02 established an import an MRL of 0.7 ppm for citrus fruits, but a higher MRL is required due to a change in the PHI.
*** EMRL2008-02 established an import an MRL of 0.4 ppm for strawberries, but a higher MRL is required due to a change in the use pattern.

A complete list of all MRLs established in Canada can be found on the PMRA's MRL webpage

International Situation and Trade Implications

MRLs may vary from one country to another for a number of reasons, including differences in pesticide use patterns and the locations of the field crop trials used to generate residue chemistry data. With the exception of mangoes and papayas, the proposed Canadian MRLs for pyraclostrobin are the same as corresponding tolerances established in the United States (tolerances listed in  40 CFR Part 180 by pesticide). Table 2 identifies the differences between Canadian MRLs, American tolerances and Codex² MRLs ( Codex MRLs searchable by pesticide or commodity). Codex has established MRLs for specific commodities in certain crop groups as captured in brackets under the Codex column.

Table 2 Comparison of Canadian MRL, American Tolerance and Codex MRL

Food Commodities	Canadian MRLs(ppm)	American Tolerances (ppm)	Codex MRLs (ppm)
Leafy vegetables except Brassica (Crop Group 4)	29	29	2.0 (Lettuce, head)
Hops	23	23 (Hop, dried cones)	15 (Hops, dry)
Leafy Brassica greens (Crop Subgroup 5B)	16	16	1.0(Kale)
Turnip tops	16	16*	No Codex MRL establish
Citrus oil	9.0	9.0	1.0 (defaults to Citrus fruits MRL)
Mint	8.0	8.0**	No Codex MRL establish
Head and stem Brassica (Crop Subgroup 5A)	5.0	5.0	0.3 (Brussels sprouts) 0.2 (Cabbages, head) 0.1 (Flowerhead brassicas)
Citrus fruits (Crop Group 10)	2.0	2.0	1.0
Pome fruits (Crop Group 11)	1.5	1.5	0.5 (Apple)
Strawberries	1.2	1.2	0.3
Sunflower seeds	0.3	0.3 (Sunflower)	0.3
Mangoes	0.1	0.6	0.05
Papayas	0.1	0.6	0.05

* Covered by the tolerance established for "Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2, except sugar beet".
** Covered by individual tolerances established for "Peppermint, tops" and "Spearmint, tops".

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed import MRLs for pyraclostrobin up to 75 days from the date of publication of this document. Please forward your comments to Publications (see contact information on the cover page of this document). The PMRA will consider all comments received before making a final decision on the proposed MRLs for pyraclostrobin and posting an Established Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) document on the PMRA's website.

Appendix I

Crop Groups: Numbers and Definitions

Crop Group Number	Name of the Crop Group	Food Commodities Included in the Crop Group
4	Leafy vegetables (except Brassica vegetables)	Amaranth Arugula Cardoon Celery Celtuce Chinese celery Corn salad Dandelion leaves Dock Edible leaved chrysanthemum Endives Fresh chervil leaves Fresh Florence fennel leaves and stalk Fresh garden cress Garden purslane Garland chrysanthemum Head lettuce Leaf lettuce New Zealand spinach Orach leaves Parsley leaves Radicchio Rhubarb Spinach Swiss chard Upland cress Vine spinach Winter purslane
5A	Brassica (cole) leafy vegetables/ Head and stem Brassica subgroup	Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbages Cauliflower Chinese broccoli Chinese mustard cabbages Kohlrabi Napa Chinese cabbages
5B	Brassica (cole) leafy vegetables/ Leafy Brassica greens subgroup	Bok choy Chinese cabbages Broccoli raab Collards Kale Mustard greens Mustard spinach Rape greens
10	Citrus	Calamondins Citrus citron Citrus hybrids Grapefruits Kumquats Lemons Limes Oranges Pummelos Satsuma mandarins Tangerines
11	Pome fruits	Apples Crabapples Loquats Mayhaws Oriental pears Pears Quinces

¹ The relevant report can be accessed by selecting the Applications/Amendment/Historical tab and opening the Evaluation Report found under Application Number 2005-3595.

² Codex is an international organization under the auspices of the United Nations that develops international food standards, including MRLs.