11 March 2010
HC Pub: 100070
ISBN: 978-1-100-14425-2 (print version)
ISBN: 978-1-100-14426-9 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2010-19E (print version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2010-19E-PDF (PDF version)

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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 new uses on pulse crops (including dry bean, faba bean, field pea, lupin and soybean), pastures and rangelands to the product label of Express SG Herbicide, containing technical grade tribenuron methyl, is acceptable. The specific uses approved in Canada are detailed on the label of Express SG Herbicide, Pest Control Products Act Registration Number 28262.

The evaluation of these tribenuron methyl applications indicated that the end-use product has merit and value and that the human health and environmental risks associated with the new uses are acceptable. Details regarding the registrations can be found in the corresponding Evaluation Reports that are available on the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canads's website, under Public Registry, Product Information Database.¹

Before registering a pesticide for food use in Canada , the PMRA must determine the quantity of residues that are likely to remain in or on the food when the pesticide is used according to label directions and that such residues will not be a concern to human health. 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.

Consultation on the proposed MRLs for tribenuron methyl 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 tribenuron methyl 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 Tribenuron methyl

Common Name	Residue Definition	MRL (ppm)	Food Commodity
Tribenuron methyl
	methyl 2-[[[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)methylamino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]benzoate
		0.05	Dry soybeans
		0.02	Eggs; fat, meat and meat byproducts of cattle, goats, hogs, horses, poultry and sheep; milk*
		0.01	Dried shelled pea and bean, except soybean (Crop Subgroup 6C)

*The proposed MRL for milk is to replace the established MRL of 0.01 ppm to reflect the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the new enforcement analytical method.

MRLs are proposed for each commodity included in Crop Subgroup 6C.

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

The proposed Canadian MRL for soybeans is the same as the corresponding tolerance established in the United States (tolerances listed in the  Electronic Code of Federal Regulations by pesticide). However, American tolerances have not been established for the dried shelled pea and bean subgroup or for any livestock commodities. Currently, Codex² MRLs have not been established for tribenuron methyl on any commodity. A listing of all established Codex MRLs is available on the  Pesticide Residues in Food website.

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRLs for tribenuron methyl 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 MRLs for tribenuron methyl and posting a corresponding Established Maximum Residue Limit in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website.