Proposed re-evaluation decision PRVD2026-03, Ammonium bromide and its associated end-use products

Health Canada
Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch
Pesticides Regulatory Directorate
15 June 2026
ISSN: 1925-0967 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-27/2026-3E-PDF (PDF version)

Summary

Table of contents

• Proposed re-evaluation decision for ammonium bromide and associated end use products
• Proposed re-evaluation decision for ammonium bromide
• Proposed mitigation measures
• Next steps
• Other information
• Additional scientific information

Proposed re-evaluation decision for ammonium bromide and associated end-use products

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, all registered pesticides must be regularly re-evaluated by Health Canada to ensure that they continue to meet health and environmental safety standards and continue to have value. The re-evaluation considers data and information from pesticide manufacturers, incident reports and other regulatory agencies. Health Canada applies internationally accepted risk assessment methods, risk management approaches and policies to all re-evaluations.

Ammonium bromide is an antimicrobial registered for the prevention of algal, bacterial and fungal slimes in pulp and paper mill whitewater systems and starch slurries. It can be used in paper and paperboard components that contact food. Ammonium bromide itself has no pesticidal activity. The end-use product containing a 35% aqueous solution of ammonium bromide must be used in conjunction with commercially available 12.5% aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite, in an enclosed feeder/delivery system, to form the residual biocide, expressed as total chlorine (bromide-activated chloramine, BAC).

There are two technical grade active ingredient products and two commercial class end-use products. The commercial-class products must be used with a closed loading and transfer system. Currently registered products containing ammonium bromide can be found in the Pesticide Product Information Database and in Appendix I of the full version of Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2026-03, Ammonium Bromide and its associated end-use products.

This document (PRVD2026-03) presents the proposed re-evaluation decision for ammonium bromide, including any proposed mitigation measures to protect human health and the environment, as well as the Science evaluation on which the proposed decision is based. All products containing ammonium bromide that are registered in Canada are subject to this proposed re-evaluation decision. PRVD2026-03 is subject to a 90-day public consultation period,^{Footnote 1} during which the public (including the pesticide manufacturers and stakeholders) may submit written comments and additional information to Pesticides Regulatory Directorate Publications. The final re-evaluation decision will be published after taking into consideration the comments received during the consultation period that are directly related to this proposed re-evaluation decision.

Proposed re-evaluation decision for ammonium bromide

Health Canada, under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, has conducted all evaluations considered necessary with respect to the health and environmental risks and value of ammonium bromide based on available scientific information in accordance with subsection 16(6) of the Pest Control Products Act. Health Canada is proposing for public consultation, pursuant to section 28 of the Pest Control Products Act, the continued registration of ammonium bromide and associated end-use products registered for sale and use in Canada under section 21 of the Pest Control Products Act.

Ammonium bromide is an important biocide registered for use in pulp and paper mills. Based on the current use-pattern of ammonium bromide, the potential dietary, occupational, residential and environmental risks are considered to be acceptable when products containing ammonium bromide are used according to updated label directions. As a result of re-evaluation, updates to the personal protective equipment (PPE) requirement and directions to further minimize a potential for water contamination are proposed (Appendix III of PRVD2026-03).

Proposed mitigation measures

Registered pesticide product labels include specific directions for use. Directions include risk mitigation measures to protect human health, the environment and ensure the product has acceptable value which must be followed by law. The proposed mitigation measures, as a result of the re-evaluation of ammonium bromide, are summarized below. Refer to Appendix III of PRVD2026-03 for details.

Human health

To protect workers, the following risk mitigation measures are proposed:

• Personal protective equipment consisting of coveralls over a long-sleeved shirt and long pants for workers handling the concentrate and coming in contact with treated process fluids.
• A label statement defining a closed mixing/transfer system as per current labelling standards.

Environment

To protect the environment, the following risk mitigation measures are proposed:

• To further minimize the potential for exposure of non-target aquatic organisms, additional statement requiring that if chloramine is detected in the effluent, it must be neutralized to undetectable levels.
• Storage and effluent discharge label statements as per current labelling standards.

Next steps

Upon publication of this proposed re-evaluation decision, the public, including the registrants and stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments during the 90-day public consultation period.

Health Canada will accept written comments on this proposal up to 90 days from the date of publication of PRVD2026-03. Comments on the proposed decision can be submitted during the consultation period to Health Canada through Pesticides Regulatory Directorate Publications, or the Public Engagement Portal (Public Engagement Forms - Consultation Comment). For more information or if you have questions, contact the Pesticides Information Service.

Before making a re-evaluation decision on ammonium bromide under section 21 of the Pest Control Products Act, the comments received during the consultation period that are directly related to this proposed decision, such as comments directed to the Science evaluation, will be taken into consideration in preparation of the final re-evaluation decision document. A science-based approach will be applied in making a final decision on ammonium bromide. In accordance with subsection 28(5) of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada will then publish a final re-evaluation decision document, which will include the decision, the reasons for it, a summary of the comments received directly related to the proposed re-evaluation decision during the consultation period, and Health Canada’s response to these comments.

Refer to Appendix I of PRVD2026-03 for details on specific products impacted by this proposed decision.

Other information

The relevant confidential test data on which the proposed decision is based (as referenced in the References Section of PRVD2026-03) are available for public inspection, upon application, in Pesticides Regulatory Directorate’s Reading Room. For more information, please contact the Pesticides Information Service.

Additional scientific information

No additional scientific data are being requested at this time.