24 February 2010
HC Pub: 100055
ISBN: 978-1-100-14792-5 (print version)
ISBN: 978-1-100-14793-2 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2010-15E (print version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2010-15E-PDF (PDF version)

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Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is proposing to establish maximum residue limits (MRLs) for boscalid on pome fruits (Crop Group 11), hops and strawberries in order to permit the import and sale of food containing these residues.

Boscalid is a fungicide conditionally registered in Canada for use on a number of fruit, legume and vegetable commodities.

The PMRA has determined the quantity of residues that are likely to remain in or on the imported food commodities when boscalid is used according to label directions in the exporting country. The Agency has also determined that such residues will not be a concern to human health and is proposing to legally 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 proposed MRLs can be found in the corresponding Evaluation Report that is available in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website, under Public Registry, Pesticide Product Information Database Applications.¹

Consultation on the proposed import MRLs for boscalid is being conducted via this document (see Next Steps, the last section of this document).

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 import MRLs for boscalid in Canada in or on food, to replace or be added to those MRLs already legally established, are as follows.

Table 1 Proposed Maximum Residue Limits for Boscalid

Common Name	Residue Definition	MRL (ppm)	Food Commodity
Boscalid	2-chloro-N-(4'-chloro[1,1'- biphenyl]-2-yl)-3-pyridinecarboxamide	35	Hops
		4.5*	Strawberries
		3.0	Pome fruits (Crop Group 11)

^* The MRL for strawberries is proposed to replace the established MRL of 1.2 ppm to accommodate imported strawberries.

MRLs are proposed for each commodity included in the pome fruits crop group.

A complete list of all MRLs established in Canada can be found on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website.

International Situation and Trade Implications

As per Table 2, the proposed Canadian MRLs for boscalid are the same as corresponding American tolerances (tolerances listed in the  Electronic Code of Federal Regulations by pesticide) but differ from Codex² MRLs. A listing of established Codex MRLs is available on the  Pesticide Residues in Food website.

Table 2 Comparison of Canadian MRLs, American Tolerances and Codex MRLs

Food Commodity	Canadian MRL (ppm)	American Tolerance (ppm)	Codex MRL (ppm)
Hops	35	35	No MRL established
Strawberry	4.5	4.5	10 ("Berries and other small fruits")
Pome fruits	3.0	3.0	2.0 ("Apple" only)

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed import MRLs for boscalid up to 75 days from the date of publication of this document. Please forward your comments to Publications. The PMRA will consider all comments received before making a final decision on the proposed import MRLs for boscalid and posting a corresponding Established Maximum Residue Limit in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website.