Print | Need Larger Text? | Share

Pesticide Terminology

Active ingredient

That ingredient of a pesticide that actually controls the targeted pest.

End-use product

A control product that has been manufactured, packaged and labelled in a form that is usable by the consumer.

Formulant

Ingredients that serve a purpose other than the actual control of the targeted pest (e.g., solvents to dissolve solids, emulsifiers to prevent the settling of liquids in the container, carriers to deliver the active ingredient uniformly to the site, etc.).

Guarantee

The amount of active ingredient contained in a product, expressed as either a percentage or a weight. The PCP Act requires that the guarantee be stated on the label.

Label

The product label that is approved as part of the registration process contains the conditions of registration that, along with the PCP Act and Regulations, govern the use of the product. In effect, the label is a legislative document. Use of a product in a manner that is inconsistent with the directions or limitations on the label is prohibited. Any control product offered for sale in Canada must bear the approved label. Advertisements for the product must relate only to the claims carried on the label.

PCP Act registration number

A four or five digit number assigned to each registered pest control product by the PMRA. Unless expressly exempt by regulation under the Act, all pest control products must be registered and be issued a PCP Act registration number before being permitted for sale, import or use in Canada.

Pest

Any injurious, noxious or troublesome insect, fungus, bacterial organism, virus, weed, rodent or other plant or animal.

Pesticide or pest control product

Any product, device, organism, substance or thing that is manufactured, represented, sold or used as a means for directly or indirectly controlling, preventing, destroying, mitigating, attracting or repelling any pest. Control products include active ingredients used in the manufacture of end-use products and the end-use products themselves. Includes herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, antimicrobial agents, pool chemicals, microbials, material and wood preservatives, animal and insect repellents, and insect- and rodent-controlling devices.

Registrant

An organization or individual that holds the certificate of registration and is thereby responsible for the product. A registrant can be a chemical company, federal or provincial agency, importer or any person wishing to market a pest control product in Canada. The registrant's name and address must appear on the product label.

Uses

The specific pest(s) the product is designed to control and the sites where the product can be used. Each pest and site combination constitutes a use (e.g., dandelions on lawns, fleas on cats, fungi on potatoes, etc.).