Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2013-16, Prometryn

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
09 April 2013
ISSN: 1925-0843 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2013-16E-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 celeriac to the product label of Gesagard 480SC Herbicide, containing technical grade prometryn, is acceptable. The specific uses approved in Canada are detailed on the label of Gesagard 480SC Herbicide, Pest Control Products Act Registration Number 24771.

The evaluation of this prometryn 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.

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 prometryn is being conducted via this document (see Next Steps). A summary of the field trial data used to support the proposed MRLs can be found in Appendix I.

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 are as follows.

Table 1 - Proposed Maximum Residue Limits for Prometryn

Common Name	Residue Definition	MRL (Table 1 footnote ppm)	Food Commodity
Footnotes Footnote 1 = parts per million Return to table 1 footnote ppm referrer
Prometryn	N,N'-bis(1-methylethyl)-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine	0.2	Celeriac tops
		0.05	Celeriac roots

MRLs established in Canada may be found using the  Maximum Residue Limit Database, on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage. The database allows users to search for pesticides(s) or for food commodity(ies).

International Situation and Trade Implications

The MRLs proposed for prometryn in Canada are the same as corresponding American tolerances as listed in the  Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 180, by pesticide. Currently, there are no Codex MRLs^{Footnote 1} listed for prometryn in or on any commodity on the  Codex Alimentarius Pesticide Residues in Food webpage.

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRLs for prometryn 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. Comments received will be addressed in a separate document linked to this PMRL. The established MRLs will be legally in effect as of the date that they are entered into the  Maximum Residue Limit Database.

Appendix I - Summary of Field Trial Data Used to Support the Proposed MRLs

Residue data from supervised residue trials conducted in the US were submitted to support the domestic use of Gesagard 480SC Herbicide on celeriac. Prometryn was applied to celeriac at exaggerated rates, and harvested according to label directions.

Maximum Residue Limit(s)

The recommendation for maximum residue limits (MRLs) for prometryn was based upon the submitted field trial data, guidance provided in the  OECD MRL Calculator: Statistical White Paper (March 1, 2011), and the use of the  OECD MRL Calculator as the MRL statistical methodology. Table A1 summarizes the data used to calculate the proposed MRLs for celeriac tops and roots.

Table A1 - Summary of Field Trial and Processing Data Used to Support Maximum Residue Limit(s) (MRLs)

Commodity	Application Method/Total Application Rate (kg a.i./ha)	PHI (days)	Residues (ppm)		Experimental Processing Factor
			Min	Max
Celeriac tops	Foliar application/ 4.33-4.38	59-61	<0.05	0.178	Not applicable.
Celeriac roots			<0.05	<0.05

Following the review of all available data, an MRL of 0.2 ppm and 0.05 ppm is recommended to cover residues of prometryn in/on celeriac tops and celeriac roots, respectively. Residues of prometryn in these commodities at the proposed MRLs will not pose an unacceptable risk to any segment of the population, including infants, children, adults and seniors.