Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2011-41, Prothioconazole

This content was archived on June 24, 2013.

Notice to the reader: The online consultation is now closed. Comments and suggestions received during the public consultation period are being considered in the finalization of this document. The final report will be made available as soon as possible.

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
14 October 2011
ISSN: 1925-0843 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2011-41E-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 corn, oats and soybeans to the product label of Proline 480 SC Foliar Fungicide, containing technical grade prothioconazole, is acceptable. The specific uses approved in Canada are detailed on the label of Proline 480 SC Foliar Fungicide, Pest Control Products Act Registration Number 28359.

The evaluation of this prothioconazole application indicated that the end-use product has merit and value and the human health and environmental risks associated with the new uses are acceptable. Details regarding the registration 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.^{Footnote 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 prothioconazole 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.

MRLs for the cereal grains barley and wheat are currently established at 0.35 ppm and 0.07 ppm, respectively. The MRL for wheat is proposed for revision to reflect the 0.35 ppm MRL proposed in this action for the remaining Crop Group 15 cereal grain commodities, except rice, sorghum and sweet corn.

The proposed MRLs for prothioconazole in Canada in or on food, to replace or be added to the MRLs already legally established, are as follows.

Table 1 - Proposed Maximum Residue Limits for Prothioconazole

Common Name	Residue Definition	MRL (ppm)	Food Commodity
Prothioconazole	2-[2-(1-chlorocyclopropyl)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxypropyl]-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione, including the metabolite α-(1-chlorocyclopropyl)-α-[(2-chlorophenyl)methyl]-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol	0.35	Buckwheat, field corn, pearl millet, proso millet, oats, popcorn grain, rye, teosinte, triticale, wheat, wild rice
		0.15	Dry soybeans
		0.04	Sweet corn kernels plus cob with husks removed

A complete list of all pesticide 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 MRLs for prothioconazole in Canada are the same as corresponding tolerances established in the United States (tolerances are listed in the  Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 180, by pesticide). Currently, Codex Alimentarius MRLs^{Footnote 2} have not been established for prothioconazole on any commodity. A listing of established Codex MRLs is available on the Codex Alimentarius  Pesticide Residues in Food website.

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRLs for prothioconazole up to 75 days from the date of publication of this document. Please forward your comments to Publications (see the 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 prothioconazole and posting a corresponding Established Maximum Residue Limit document in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website.