Health Canada: Pesticides bought online might not be approved for sale in Canada

Health Canada is advising Canadians to be cautious when buying pesticides over the Internet because they may not be approved for sale in this country or their claims may not be reliable.

With provinces and municipalities restricting or banning the use of pesticides and consumers seeking products they perceive to be more environmentally friendly, more homeowners and gardeners have been looking for alternative pesticides.

Under the Pest Control Products Act, before a pesticide can be used or sold in Canada, it must be assessed to determine that it won't pose unacceptable risks to human health or the environment when used according to the label directions, the department said Wednesday in a release.

Pesticides can be hazardous. People who use pesticides in and around the home must be familiar with safe handling and application procedures. Users should carefully read, understand and follow the label directions.

Consumers are advised to buy only products bearing a Pest Control product registration number. Unregistered pesticides may be unsafe. In addition, they often do not contain precautions or instructions in either of Canada's official languages, which, in addition to not meeting Health Canada's labelling requirement, could lead to accidental misuse or injury.

Consumers wishing to buy pest control products online should check the Pesticide Product Information Database, which contains a list of registered products and active ingredients that are authorized for sale in Canada.