21 November 2008
ISBN: 978-1-100-10830-8 (978-1-100-10831-5)
Cat. No.: H113-24/2008-42E (H113-24/2008-42E-PDF)

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Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has concluded that the addition of a new use on root vegetables, except sugar beets (Crop Subgroup 1B; see Appendix I) to the product label of Apron XL LS, containing technical grade metalaxyl-M, is acceptable. The specific use approved in Canada is detailed on the label of Apron XL LS, Pest Control Products Act Registration Number 25585.

The evaluation of this metalaxyl-M application indicated that the end-use product has merit and value and that the human health and environmental risks associated with the new use are acceptable. Details regarding the registration can be found in the corresponding Evaluation Report that is available on the PMRA website, under Public Registry, Product Information, Current Applications.¹

Before registering a pesticide for food use in Canada, the PMRA must determine the quantity of residues that are likely to remain on or in the food when the pesticide is used according to label directions and that such residues will not pose an unacceptable health risk. This quantity is then legally established as a maximum residue limit (MRL). 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.

Residues of the resolved isomer metalaxyl-M are covered by MRLs established for metalaxyl, the unresolved isomeric mixture.

Consultation on the proposed MRL for metalaxyl is being conducted via this document (see Next Steps).

To comply with Canada's international trade obligations, consultation on the proposed MRLs is also being conducted internationally by notifying the World Trade Organization, as coordinated by the Standards Council of Canada.

The proposed MRLs for metalaxyl in Canada in or on food, to be added to those currently established, are as follows.

Table 1 Proposed Maximum Residue Limits for Metalaxyl

Common Name	Residue Definition	Proposed MRL (ppm)	Food Commodity*
Metalaxyl	N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-N-(methoxyacetyl)-DL-alanine methyl ester, including metabolites that can be converted to the 2,6-dimethylaniline moiety, each expressed as metalaxyl equivalents	0.5	Black salsify roots, celeriac roots, chicory roots, edible burdock roots, garden beet roots, ginseng roots, horseradish roots, oriental radish roots, parsnip roots, rutabaga roots, salsify roots, skirret roots, Spanish salsify roots, turnip roots, turnip-rooted chervil roots, turnip-rooted parsley roots

* The listed commodities from Crop Subgroup 1B do not include carrots and radishes for which an MRL of 0.5 ppm is currently established.

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

International Situation and Trade Implications

The proposed MRLs in Canada are the same as the corresponding tolerance established for the root and tuber vegetable crop group (Crop Group 1) in the United States (tolerances listed in  40 CFR Part 180 by pesticide). Codex MRLs² have not been established forfor the commodities covered by this action, although an MRL of 0.05 ppm has been established for metalaxyl on the Crop Subgroup 1B commodity carrots ( Codex MRLs searchable by pesticide or commodity).

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRL for metalaxyl 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 metalaxyl 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
1B	Root vegetables (except sugar beets)	Black salsify roots Carrot roots Celeriac roots Chicory roots Edible burdock roots Garden beet roots Ginseng roots Horseradish roots Oriental radish roots Parsnip roots Radish roots Rutabaga roots Salsify roots Skirret roots Spanish salsify roots Turnip roots Turnip-rooted chervil roots Turnip-rooted parsley roots

References