Health Canada is consulting Canadians on the proposal to continue some uses of abamectin and associated end-use products in Canada, provided new risk mitigation measures are put in place. The use of abamectin on greenhouse ornamentals grown for cut flowers is proposed for cancellation since occupational postapplication risks were not shown to be acceptable when used according to the current conditions of registration, or when additional mitigation is considered.
Abamectin is an acaracide/insecticide registered for use on a wide-range of outdoor field-grown fruit and vegetable crops, outdoor ornamentals, greenhouse vegetables and greenhouse ornamentals for the control or suppression of a variety of agricultural pests such as mites, sawflies, moths, thrips, leafminers, psyllids, aphids and certain beetles. It is also registered for commercial and domestic indoor and/or outdoor structural use to control cockroaches and ants.
To protect human health and the environment, the following risk-reduction measures are proposed:
Add personal protective equipment requirements for application of abamectin via handheld airblast/mistblowers
Limit the amount handled per day for application of abamectin via handheld airblast mistblowers
Impose restricted-entry intervals (REIs) of 1–11 days for onions, grapes and hops
Cancel the use of abamectin on greenhouse ornamentals grown for cut flowers as agronomically feasible REIs could not be established
Update label to meet current standards pertaining to personal protective equipment and best practice statements (spray drift)
Update commercial and domestic class structural end-use product labels to include a precautionary statement to protect domestic animals/pets
To protect aquatic organisms, maintain a vegetative filter strip and limit the maximum cumulative application rate.
For a full list of products containing abamectin, please consult Appendix I in the Proposed Re-evaluation Decision or visit the Pesticide Label Search database.
For more information on the proposed decision open the “Proposed Re-evaluation Decision”.
How to get involved
This consultation is open for comment from 28 February 2023 to 29 May 2023 (90Â calendar days).
To comment on PRVD2023-01:
Step 1 Request the full consultation document to read the Science Evaluation that is the basis of this proposed regulatory decision.
Step 2 Submit comments to the PMRA Publications Section.
All comments received will be considered. A final re-evaluation decision will consider additional scientific information provided during the public comment period.
Please refer to the document title Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2023-01, Abamectin and Its Associated End-use Products when providing comments.
Reporting to Canadians
Health Canada will make the results of this consultation available on this website. Once the decision is finalized, the PMRA will post a Re-evaluation Decision on the Pesticides and Pest Management Reports and Publications portion of Canada.ca.
If you have any questions, contact the Pest Management Information Service.
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