Update 2 on Increasing MRLs: Comments due Sept 8 2023 and MRL Issues Summary
Health Canada has extended the comment period for proposed regulations on MRLs until September 8, 2023. On June 20, 2023 it announced it was seeking comments on its Notice of Intent NOI2023-01 for new regulations on pesticide maximum residue limits (MRLs).
The new MRL regulations require publication of a notice when there is a proposed increase. That is all. No substantive changes are being made to the MRL process.
The comment period for the NOI was extended from August 19 until September 8, 2023.
See our previous post on the NOI and suggestions for comments.
Below is an executive summary/ explanation of the MRL issues.
Context: …Read More
Update: PMRA Transformation Agenda, Increasing MRLs and Action
“Tractor Fertilize Field Pesticide And Insecticide” by aqua.mech is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Update: PMRA Transformation Agenda, Increasing MRLs and Action
Resignations, Increasing MRLs, and Weak Proposals
Remember two years ago? It was election time. Health Canada proposed higher levels of Roundup in food at the request of Bayer/Monsanto, the public screamed foul-play, and the government paused the proposal.
A “transformation agenda” was kicked off to fix the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), a new team was brought in, and a Science Advisory Committee was established to provide advice to PMRA.
So here we are, two years later, $42 million later, thousands of hours of consulting on …Read More
Comments on Targeted Review of PCPA
Some types of Foods Affected by Pesticides, Gene-editing
This post provides the detailed comments submitted by Safe Food Matters to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA).
Comments SFM on Dis Dic 2022-01vFinalDownload
By way of background, In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation was the result. Discussion Document 2022-01 set out 3 objectives, and asked for answers to questions on each. The list was set out in Annex 3.
We previously wrote about …Read More
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
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
UPDATE 2: GOVERNMENT PAUSES MRL INCREASES, AND WILL REVIEW PARTS OF THE ACT; BUT MORE IS NEEDED
On August 3, 2021, the Government of Canada announced it would pause proposed increases on Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of pesticides, including MRLs for glyphosate. There was public outcry to the proposed increases, and the Ministers of Health, Environment and Climate Change and Agriculture and Agri-Food heard it.
The Government says it will review specific provisions of the Pest Control Product Act (the Act), including the initiation of the review process. Safe Food Matters, Prevent Cancer Now, Friends of the Earth and other NGOs have serious concerns with the way the Act has been managed for years by the Pest Management …Read More
UPDATE: Comment ’til Sept 3 on Glyphosate MRL increases
Health Canada/ PMRA has granted an extension for commenting on increased maximum residue limits in foods until September 3. The extension is because of “the level of interest and number of comments received to date” and COVID delays. A significantly large number of comments were submitted by July 20, the initial deadline.
The extension and additional background are in this document, which should form the basis for any new comments: Consultation on Glyphosate, Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2021-10 – Canada.ca.
Please submit comments to: E-mail: hc.pmra.publications-arla.sc@canada.ca Please share with SafeFoodMatters@gmail.com and Info@PreventCancerNow.ca
Here is the initial post and detail on the Proposal. Look …Read More
Health Canada Wants to Increase Glyphosate in Food
Have your say by July 20th!
Issue
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is proposing to increase the amount of glyphosate (Roundup®) permitted in Canadian food. Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) may be doubled, tripled or almost quadrupled for oats and bran, lentils, peas and 25 types of beans such as chickpeas, kidney beans and pinto beans, as well as nuts (almonds, pecans and walnuts, mostly coming from the US).
Crop
Current MRL
(ppm)
Proposed MRL
(ppm)
Proposed Increase
Oats and bran
15
35
2.3 fold
Lentils
4
10
2.5 fold
Peas
5
10
2.0 fold
Beans
4
15
3.75 fold
Nuts
0.4 ppm
1
2.5 fold
Why? Farmers are using more glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs). This amounts to regulation of the status quo.
As weeds become resistant, higher herbicide …Read More
