Canada granted continued registration of metaldehyde

After a re-evaluation of the molluscicide metaldehyde, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act and Regulations, is granting continued registration of products containing metaldehyde for sale and use in Canada.

An evaluation of available scientific information found that products containing metaldehyde do not present unacceptable risks to human health or the environment when used according to the revised label directions. As a condition of the continued registration of metaldehyde uses, new risk-reduction measures must be included on the labels of all products. No additional data are required at this time.

The regulatory approach for the re-evaluation of metaldehyde was first presented in Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2008-15, Metaldehyde, a consultation document. This Re-evaluation Decision describes this stage of PMRA's regulatory process for the re-evaluation of metaldehyde and summarizes the Agency's decision as well as the reasons for it. Appendix I summarizes the comments received during the consultation process and provides the PMRA's response to these comments. This decision is consistent with the proposed re-evaluation decision stated in PRVD2008-15. To comply with this decision, registrants of products containing metaldehyde will be informed of the specific requirements affecting their product registrations and of the regulatory options available to them.