Amend List of Pest Control Formulants
Order Amending the List of Pest Control Product Formulants and Contaminants of Health or Environmental Concern: SI/2020-44
Health Canada amended the List of Pest Control Product Formulants and Contaminants of Health or Environmental Concern to update which formulants, allergens and contaminants are subject to public disclosure for registered pest control products. The order removes several formulants (e.g. coal‑tar creosote, dimethyl formamide), adds eggs as a listed allergen, and replaces DDT in the contaminants list with carbon tetrachloride, lead (and its compounds) and mercury (and its compounds); it takes effect on registration (published June 24, 2020).
- Published
- June 24, 2020
- Department
- Unavailable
- Section
- Order Amending the List of Pest Control Product Formulants and Contaminants of Health or Environmental Concern
- Comment deadline
- Unavailable
- Effective date
- June 24, 2020
- Publication part
- Part II
Summary
Summary#
This is the Order Amending the List of Pest Control Product Formulants and Contaminants of Health or Environmental Concern: SI/2020-44. It changes the list that Health Canada uses to identify formulants and contaminants of concern in pest control products registered in Canada. The order was published on June 24, 2020.
What it does#
- Clarifies that the list applies only to pest control products registered under the Pest Control Products Act.
- Removes these substances from Part 1 (formulants of concern):
- adipic acid, bis(2‑ethylhexyl) ester
- coal‑tar creosote
- dimethyl formamide
- dioctyl phthalate
- hydroquinone
- isophorone
- rhodamine B
- Adds to Part 2 (known allergens that can cause anaphylactic reactions):
- eggs
- Changes Part 3 (contaminants of concern):
- removes dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT)
- adds carbon tetrachloride, lead and its compounds, and mercury and its compounds
- Repeals section 3 of the existing list (the order removes that section entirely).
- The order comes into force on the day it is registered (publication day was June 24, 2020).
Who's affected#
- Companies that make, import or register pest control products in Canada.
- Farmers, pest control professionals, gardeners and others who buy or use registered pesticides.
- People concerned about allergens in products (because eggs were added).
- Public health and environmental groups, researchers and regulators who track chemical ingredients and contaminants.
If it is unclear who else might be affected, the order’s changes are limited to formulants and contaminants found in products that are currently registered in Canada.
Why it matters#
- Items listed as formulants or contaminants of concern are not treated as confidential business information under the law, so their identity and concentration can be disclosed to the public. This order changes which ingredients fall into that category.
- Adding eggs highlights that some pest control products now list a common allergen that can cause severe reactions for some people.
- Adding lead and mercury (and carbon tetrachloride) reflects updated priorities about contaminants that are harmful to health or the environment.
- Removing some chemicals from the list may change what information companies must disclose about their products.
Key topics
Source: Canada Gazette