Pest Control Products Product Safety Data Sheets In Canada – What are the Expectations?

By: Kirsten Alcock, Manager of Product Safety, email

We are entering into winter here in Canada but before you know it, spring will be here and in spring we get many pests that we have to battle. In order to battle some of these pests, many of us homeowners and farmers look to pesticide products to help.
At this point in time, pest control products are exempt from the need for a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) in Canada, however, did you know that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) published a document regarding Pest Control Products (PCP) and SDSs?
Below is information from our regulations advising that the requirements for an SDS are not required.

Safety Data Sheets are not required under the Hazardous Products Act (HPA) for pesticide products, however, it is good practice to provide these to the workers that are using these products to ensure their health and safety. The PMRA published a document in English and Canadian French back in 2018. Many are not aware that this document exists as SDSs are not technically required. The document itself is very extensive. It includes information on the background, SDS guidance to registrants, and appendices containing information for each and every section of an SDS. Dell Tech has taken the guidance provided and we can ensure that the SDSs we create follow the guidelines given by the PMRA.

If you choose to provide one to your clients, the PMRA has provided this guidance on what they EXPECT to see and in what section they want to see it in. They consider this guideline to be a voluntary adoption and for use by all registrants of PCP products in Canada. The focus of an SDS is primarily for the workers to ensure that they are using the product safely while working in the fields so the SDS is requested to contain the mandated health and safety information that can be found on the PMRA approved label.

As SDSs are not a part of the PCP requirements, they are not subject to pre-market approval. The guidance document advises that there must be a reference to the PCP label as the main label to follow for safety, use, and handling. You will see on the SDSs Dell Tech provides that the PMRA number is listed right in section 1 as requested by the guidance. Although not required, the PMRA encourages companies who sell pesticides to adopt and follow the guidance document should they create SDSs. An SDS that Dell Tech creates would include the mandatory PMRA phrases within section 15. There are a few phrases that the PMRA has requested for this section that we would include as well. For further information on these mandated phrases, please read the guidance report.

How can Dell Tech help?

• Dell Tech can help you with the registration of your Pesticide Product
• Dell Tech can create the SDS in both official languages – Canadian English and Canadian French
• Dell Tech will create the SDS in compliance with the Guidance Document provided by the PMRA

Contact:
Dell Tech Laboratories
info@delltech.com
519-858-5021

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industry in Canada, the USA, Europe, and Asia for the last 40 years.

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