Use the label text search engine to find registered products for specific pests. You may also call or the Pest Management Information Service at 1-800-267-6315.

Q3. If a product is registered in the United States, does that mean it's okay to use it in Canada?

A. It is an offence under the Pest Control Products Act to use a product that is not registered in Canada. Look for the PCP registration number on the product label to ensure that the product is registered for use in Canada.

Q4. How does a product become registered for use in Canada?

A. Companies that wish to have the right to sell a pest control product in Canada must submit very detailed tests and studies that examine the potential risks posed to health and the environment and the product's value. PMRA scientists rigorously review this information in order to determine if the product is acceptable for use in Canada.

• Fact Sheet on the Registration of Pesticides in Canada - 67Kb
• Risk Assessment and Risk Management in the PMRA

Q5. Does PMRA regulate pool products as well?

A. Yes. The PMRA is responsible for regulating products used to control bacteria, viruses and algae in swimming pools and spas. Chemical sanitizers and devices that generate sanitizers to control microorganisms, as well as ionizers and ozone generators used to control algae must be registered under the Pest Control Products Act.

• Swimming Pools and Spas

Q6. Is it safe to use pesticides?

A. Pesticides can be used safely if you follow the directions on the product label. But before you purchase a pest control product, ensure that you have identified the pest correctly and explored other options for controlling the pest, such as physical barriers, removing the pest's access to food and water or using alternative products.

If a pest control product must be used, carefully read and follow all label instructions. The text on the label reflects the results of the scientific evaluation that the product has undergone, and shows you the way to minimize any potential risks to human health or the environment. The rate of application indicated on the label is essentially the lowest effective amount of the product that should be used.

• Proper Use of Pesticides
• Pesticide Use In and Around the Home

Q7. How can I identify what kind of pest is in my home or garden?

A. The PMRA's Pest Notes provide information on how to identify commonly-occurring pests. The Healthy Lawns Web site also has some helpful information and suggested books on the identification and control of common lawn and garden pests.

Q8. Is it true that some of the pesticides I use around my home are not going to be available in the future?

A. The PMRA is re-evaluating pesticides to ensure that the products on the Canadian market continue to be acceptable under the latest internationally-recognized human health and environmental safety standards. The re-evaluation program is aiming to review all pest control products registered for use in Canada prior to December 31, 1994. When the re-evaluation of a product is complete, only the uses that meet current health and environmental standards will remain registered. By removing unsafe products and uses, re-evaluations help safeguard Canadians' health, safety, their food supply and their environment.

The Re-evaluation Documents announce the commencement of a re-evaluation and provide updates of ongoing re-evaluations. Once a final decision has been reached, a Re-evaluation Decision Document is published.

• Re-evaluation
• PMRA Re-evaluation Program - 148Kb

Q9. How can I dispose of pesticides?

A. The best solution for pesticide disposal is good planning. Try to buy only as much as you need to use. If you do need to store unused pesticides, ensure that they are placed in a secure location, out of the reach of children and pets.

To dispose of Domestic class products:

• Contact municipal officials about information on household hazardous waste disposal facilities.
• As well, small quantities of unused products and empty containers may be wrapped in several layers of newspaper and disposed of in the household garbage. Never burn or pour pesticides down the drain or re-use empty containers.

To dispose of Commercial/Agricultural/Restricted class products:

• Return unopened products and empty containers to the supplier. Never re-use empty pesticide containers. Contact provincial authorities or a provincially registered hazardous waste disposal firm for the disposal of these products.

Q10. What should I do if I see pesticides being misused?

A. If you believe a pesticide is being misused, please contact the Pest Management Information Service at:

1-800-267-6315 or by e-mail.

If possible, please provide the type of pesticide involved, ie., the Pest Control Products Act registration number, the trade name or the name of the active ingredient. The time and location of the possible offense is also important. The PMRA's Compliance Division will be notified and will take the appropriate action.

Q11. What about the other ingredients in pesticides - does the PMRA evaluate these as well as the active ingredient in the pesticide?

A. Ingredients such as solvents, emulsifiers, colorants and fragrances that are found in pesticides are known as formulants. The formulants in pesticide products are reviewed to assess risks to human health and the environment. Whenever a pesticide contains a formulant which is recognized as being of toxicological concern, i.e., appears on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's List 1, the manufacturer of the pesticide must remove it from the product or support its safe use with detailed tests and studies that examine the potential risks posed to human health and the environment. List 1 formulants must also be identified on the label.

Q12. How can people reduce the need to use pesticides around the home?

A. Homeowners and gardeners can systematically manage pests in their lawns and gardens using the techniques of integrated pest management(IPM). IPM is a coordinated program of preventing pest problems by monitoring the number and types of pests in an area and using techniques that have the least impact on people, property and the environment to bring the pests to acceptable levels.

The PMRA has published a number of Pest Notes which provide information on approaches to control common home and garden pests that are consistent with IPM. The Healthy Lawns Web site also contains information on lawn and garden IPM techniques.

Q13. Can exposure to pesticides cause cancer?

A. Only pesticides which do not pose an unacceptable risk of cancer in humans are registered for use in Canada. Detailed risk assessements and very large margins of safety are built into the human health evaluations that the PMRA carries out on proposed pesticides so that Canadians will be protected from risks such as cancer.

The first step in a human health evaluation is an examination of scientific studies to determine if the pesticide causes adverse effects in laboratory animals. One of the effects that is looked for is whether the pesticide causes cancer in animals. The majority of pesticides registered for use in Canada do not cause cancer in laboratory animals. If there is evidence that a proposed pesticide causes cancer in laboratory animals, a special type of assessment called a quantitative risk assessment is conducted to determine if the use of the pesticide would cause an unacceptable risk of cancer in humans. PMRA's risk assessments consider how the cancer is caused in laboratory animals and all potential exposures, e.g, food, water, workplace, that may occur over a lifetime. Only pesticides that are proven not to pose unacceptable risk of cancer in humans are registered.

A Decision Framework for Risk Assessment and Risk Management in the Pest Management Regulatory Agency - 282Kb

Q14. Can exposure to pesticides cause asthma?

A. Pesticides are not a known risk factor for the development of asthma. Currently accepted risk factors for asthma in children are indoor environmental tobacco smoke, household dust mites, cockroaches, cat's fungal spores and outdoor smog.

Q15. Are children's special characteristics taken into account when pesticides are evaluated for their risk to health?

A. The PMRA conducts a thorough assessment of pesticides before their use is permitted in Canada. These assessments are carried out in order to ensure that pesticides do not pose a health risk to Canadians. They incorporate a special focus on sensitive sub-populations, including children.

The PMRA knows that children's diets are different and that their activities vary from those of adults. The Agency takes children's potential to be exposed to pesticides through food and non-food routes into account in its health assessments. Scientists at the PMRA also factor in the differences in children's development and metabolism when toxicology tests are assessed.

The Agency will consider registration of a pesticide for food uses ONLY when child-specific assessments are found to be acceptable.

The PMRA has adopted the same, increased new health standards and rigorous approach for assessing dietary and non-dietary risk to children that the United States has implemented under the Food Quality Protection Act.

Childrens' Health Priortities Within the PMRA - 125Kb