Consultation on Targeted Review of Pesticides Act: MRLs and continous oversight
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is consulting with the public on the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation is the result. The deadline is June 30, 2022.
Discussion Document 2022-01 sets out 3 objectives, and asks for answers to questions on each. The list is in Annex 3.
Here are our thoughts on the first objective, “Modernized Business Processes” and related questions.
NOTE: This consultation is on a “Targeted Review” of the PCPA, but PMRA says it will also take comments on …Read More
Consultation on Targeted Review of Pesticides Act: Improved Transparency
This post is about providing comments on the second objective of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation (set out in Discussion Document 2022-01) is the result. The extended deadline for comments is June 30, 2022.Below at the heading “Objective 2 – Improved Transparency” are our comments on the second objective. Our thoughts on the third and last objective, “Increased Use of Real-word Data and …Read More
Glyphosate MRL Proposal Not Based on Sound Science
PMRA’s Proposal to increase glyphosate in legumes is not consistent with science or the law
Here’s an update to the glyphosate MRL story, the story of Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA) proposal to permit more glyphosate in foods. Safe Food Matters Inc. (SFM) and Prevent Cancer Now (PCN) received information on the “confidential test data” underlying PMRL 2021-10 (the Proposal). The data was received from PMRA on January 28, 2022, more than eight months after the date it was requested, May 12, 2021.
The groups report that the scientific and legal basis for the Proposal is ill-founded. This article provides a summary …Read More
LMR de glyphosate non fondées scientifiquement
La proposition de l’ARLA d’augmenter le glyphosate dans les légumineuses n’est pas conforme à la science ou à la loi
Voici une mise à jour de l’histoire des LMR de glyphosate, l’histoire de la proposition de l’Agence de réglementation de la lutte antiparasitaire (ARLA) de Santé Canada visant à autoriser plus de glyphosate dans les aliments. Safe Food Matters Inc. (SFM) et Prevent Cancer Now (PCN) ont reçu des informations sur les ” données d’essai confidentielles ” qui sous-tendent le PMRL 2021-10 (la proposition). Les données ont été reçues de l’ARLA le 28 janvier 2022, soit plus de huit mois après …Read More
A Small Group of Thoughtful, Committed Citizens Can Change the Law
Safe Food Matters logs key win on glyphosate case in Canada
The Federal Court of Appeal handed Safe Food Matters a major win on February 2, 2022 when it ordered Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to take another look at the group’s notice of objection to PMRA’s 2017 decision to re-register glyphosate in Canada.
The case, Safe Food Matters Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), is the first decision of the Federal Court of Appeal on PMRA and on glyphosate, the most used and by-far most controversial pesticide in the world. It comes at a time when Europe is debating …Read More
Safe Food Matters Wins Glyphosate Court Case!
Back to the drawing board for PMRA to address the glyphosate objection
February 2, 2022. The Federal Court of Appeal has issued a decision in favour of Safe Food Matters in a court case concerning the pesticide glyphosate. The decision remits the matter back to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for reconsideration, and offers strong guidance to PMRA to avoid “the endless merry-go-round” of court applications and reconsiderations.
In 2017, Safe Food Matters (and others) filed objections to PMRA’s decision RVD2017-01 to re-register glyphosate in Canada, and PMRA rejected the objections in 2019 with a form letter and dismissive reasons. Safe …Read More
Lawsuit slams lack of transparency in Health Canada’s management of chlorpyrifos
PMRA sticks to three-year phaseout despite evidence chlorpyrifos causes brain damage in children
OTTAWA/TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE —
Ecojustice, on behalf of Safe Food Matters and Prevent Cancer Now, is headed to court to fight for greater transparency, consistency, and accountability in how Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) makes decisions regarding harmful chemicals that impact the health of Canadians.
In a lawsuit filed on Thursday, the groups challenge the PMRA’s Second Phaseout Decision regarding the dangerous pesticide chlorpyrifos. This decision maintains the three-year phaseout period set out in a previous decision from the PMRA, also being challenged …Read More
Le glyphosate en cour 9 décembre 2021
Le glyphosate fera l’objet d’un examen minutieux de la Cour d’appel fédérale du Canada le 9 décembre 2021. Safe Food Matters Inc. veut un examen de la décision de 2017 qui a permis au produit de rester enregistré au Canada pendant plus de 15 ans.
Ce cas diffère des autres cas de glyphosate. Celui-ci porte sur les mesures prises par l’organisme de réglementation, l’Agence de réglementation de la lutte antiparasitaire (ARLA), et non sur la question de savoir si le produit chimique cause le cancer.
Mary Lou McDonald, présidente de Safe Food Matters Inc., a déclaré :
« Nous ne pensons …Read More
Glyphosate in Court December 9, 2021
Glyphosate will be under scrutiny by Canada ‘s Federal Court of Appeal on December 9, 2021. Safe Food Matters Inc. wants a review of the 2017 decision that allowed the product to stay registered in Canada for another 15 plus years.
This case differs from other glyphosate cases. This one is about the actions of the regulator, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), not about whether the chemical causes cancer.
Mary Lou McDonald, President of Safe Food Matters Inc. stated:
“We don’t think PMRA performed a valid assessment of glyphosate before making its registration decision. We gave them a notice with detailed and …Read More
Pesticide Reform: Letter to Ministers
Re: Steps that Can Be Taken Now without Act Amendment
Dear Ministers of Health, Environment & Climate Change, and Agriculture and Agri-Food,
I am a lawyer and the president of Safe Food Matters Inc., a Canadian non-profit corporation founded in 2016 dedicated to protecting human health and the environment from harmful pesticides and crop production technologies. We think pesticide products can be quite harmful, and as a result they warrant proper and thorough assessment by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (“PMRA”).
The issue is so serious to us that we took PMRA to court over its 2017 reregistration of glyphosate, and …Read More
