Proposed Registration Decision PRD2025-14, 2-Phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, eugenol, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill

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Pest Management Regulatory Agency
5 December 2025
ISSN: 1925-0886 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-9/2025-14E-PDF (PDF version)

Summary

Table of contents

• Proposed registration decision for 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol
• What does Health Canada consider when making a registration decision?
• What are 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol?
• Health considerations
• Environmental considerations
• Value considerations
• Measures to minimize risk
• Next steps
• Other information

Proposed registration decision for 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), pursuant to subsection 28(1) of the Pest Control Products Act, is proposing registration for the sale and use of 2-Phenethyl Propionate Technical, Nuranone Technical, Geraniol Technical, Eugenol Technical, and related end-use product, Japanese Beetle Trap Refill, containing the active ingredients 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol, to control Japanese beetles in outdoor domestic areas.

An evaluation of available scientific information found that, under the approved conditions of use, the health and environmental risks and the value of the pest control products are acceptable.

This summary describes the key points of the evaluation, while the Science evaluation in the full version of Proposed Registration Decision PRD2025-14, 2-Phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, eugenol, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill provides detailed technical information on the human health, environmental and value assessments of 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, eugenol, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill.

What does Health Canada consider when making a registration decision?

The primary objective of the Pest Control Products Act is to prevent unacceptable risks to individuals and the environment from the use of pest control products. Health or environmental risk is considered acceptable^{Footnote 1} if there is reasonable certainty that no harm to human health, future generations or the environment will result from use or exposure to the product under its proposed conditions of registration. The Act also requires that products have value^{Footnote 2} when used according to the label directions. Conditions of registration may include precautionary measures on the product label to further reduce risk.

To reach its decisions, Health Canada’s PMRA applies modern, rigorous risk-assessment methods and policies. These methods consider the unique characteristics of sensitive subpopulations in humans (for example, children). They also consider the unique characteristics of organisms in the environment. These methods and policies also consider the nature of the effects observed and the uncertainties when predicting the impact of pesticides. For more information on how Health Canada’s PMRA regulates pesticides, the assessment process and risk-reduction programs, please visit the Pesticides and pest management portion of Canada.ca.

Before making a final registration decision on 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, eugenol, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill, Health Canada’s PMRA will consider any written comments received from the public directly related to the proposed decision in PRD2025-14.^{Footnote 3} Health Canada will then publish a Registration Decision^{Footnote 4} on 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, eugenol, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill, which will include the decision, the reasons for it, a summary of comments received on the proposed registration decision and Health Canada’s response to these comments.

For more details on the information presented in this summary, please refer to the Science evaluation of PRD2025-14.

What are 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol?

2-Phenethyl propionate, geraniol, and eugenol are floral attractants, and nuranone is a Japanese beetle pheromone. These are non-conventional biopesticides that attract Japanese beetles.

Health considerations

Can approved uses of 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol affect human health?

2-Phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol are unlikely to affect human health when used according to label directions.

Potential exposure to 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol may occur via the inhalation route when handling the Japanese Beetle Trap Refill cartridge during trap set up, hanging, and rebaiting, and disposal of the cartridge into the trash.

Toxicology studies in laboratory animals describe potential health effects from varying levels of exposure to a chemical and identify the dose where no effects are observed. When assessing health risks, two key factors are considered:

• the levels where no health effects occur, and
• the levels to which people may be exposed.

The levels used to assess risks are established to protect the most sensitive human population (for example, children and nursing mothers). As such, sex and gender are taken into account in the risk assessment. Only uses for which the exposure is well below levels that cause no effects in animal testing are considered acceptable for registration.

Publicly available toxicology information was assessed for 2-phenethyl propionate and its analogs, nuranone analogs, geraniol, and eugenol.

2-Phenethyl Propionate Technical is food grade edible. The active ingredient, 2-phenethyl propionate, is an aryl alkyl alcohol simple acid ester (AAASAE) that is also used as a Japanese beetle attractant. It is of low acute oral toxicity, slightly acutely toxic via the inhalation route of exposure, minimally irritating to the eyes, slightly irritating to the skin, and is not a skin sensitizer. Data on a-methylbenzyl acetate, a similar compound to 2-phenethyl propionate, showed that repeated doses resulted in an increase in the mean intake of food and mean relative liver and kidney weights in male rats. In pregnant rats, oral administration of benzyl acetate, another analog of 2-phenethyl propionate, resulted in fetal abnormalities and reduced fetal growth at a test dose that did not result in maternal toxicity, thus, suggesting sensitivity of the young. 2-Phenethyl propionate is not expected to be mutagenic or clastogenic.

Nuranone is a non-straight chain sex pheromone of the female Japanese beetle. It is considered to be of low acute oral toxicity, moderately irritating to the eyes, non-irritating to the skin, and not a skin sensitizer. The acute inhalation toxicity data requirement for nuranone was waived due to its very low volatility. Data on γ-undecalactone, a compound similar to nuranone, showed that rats, given repeated doses, did not experience adverse effects. In pregnant rats, oral administration of γ-butyrolactone, another analog of nuranone, also did not result in adverse effects. Nuranone is not expected to be mutagenic or clastogenic.

Geraniol is of low acute toxicity via the oral and dermal routes of exposure, expected to be of low acute toxicity via the inhalation route of exposure, severely irritating to the eyes, moderately irritating to the skin, and a skin sensitizer. There were no treatment-related findings when animals received multiple doses of geraniol. In pregnant animals, exposure to geraniol varied from no treatment-related effects to decreases in maternal body weight gain and food consumption, reductions in live births and fetal weights, increases in pup mortality, as well as temporary fetal delays in development. In an extended one-generation study, there were no reproductive effects in the parental animals, but exposure to geraniol led to olfactory epithelium degeneration, changes in blood chemistry parameters, and increases in organ weights and food consumption. There was indication that the young were more sensitive than the adult animal due to a reduction in pup survival. The qualitative risk assessment considered the very low exposure and mitigation measures to the end-use product. Geraniol is not considered to be mutagenic, genotoxic, or clastogenic.

Eugenol is of slight acute toxicity by the oral route of exposure, moderate acute toxicity by the dermal route of exposure, low acute toxicity by the inhalation route of exposure, moderately irritating to the eyes and skin, and is a skin sensitizer. Animals given repeated high doses of eugenol in the diet showed decreased body weight and body weight gain. Exposure to eugenol in pregnant animals showed decreases in maternal food consumption and fetal weights, and developmental effects. Fetal and maternal effects occurred at the same dose. Eugenol is not likely to be mutagenic or carcinogenic.

The end-use product, Japanese Beetle Trap Refill, is a cartridge containing beads embedded with a mixture of 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol that act as the attractant (bait) to lure adult Japanese beetles to the associated trap. Published scientific literature and publicly available information for the active ingredients were used to inform the toxicology profile of the attractant bait. Consequently, the beetle trap attractant is expected to be slightly acutely toxic by the oral and inhalation routes of exposure, moderately acutely toxic by the dermal route of exposure, severely irritating to the eyes, moderately irritating to the skin, and a potential skin sensitizer.

Residues in food and drinking water

Dietary risks from food and drinking water are acceptable.

The end-use product, Japanese Beetle Trap Refill, is not proposed for food or feed uses. Dietary exposure, including drinking water, is not expected from the proposed use of 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol combined as an insect attractant (bait). Consequently, health risks from dietary exposure are acceptable for all segments of the population, including infants, children, adults, and seniors.

Risks in residential and other non-occupational environments

Estimated risk for residential and other non-occupational exposure is acceptable.

Japanese Beetle Trap Refill is a domestic class product proposed for outdoor use on residential properties. It consists of a welded plastic cartridge containing beads embedded with the attractant mixture, which sits atop a reusable insect trap. The trap is manually emptied of beetles when full, rebaited with a new Japanese Beetle Trap Refill cartridge, and disposed of in the garbage at the end of the season.

The active ingredients are embedded in resin beads contained in a welded plastic cartridge, making the beads inaccessible to users. Therefore, users do not have direct contact with the active ingredients.

The end-use product label will include measures to reduce user and bystander (including children and companion animals) exposure, such as instructions to keep children away from the product and to not access beads in the cartridge.

Overall, residential and non-occupational exposure to Japanese Beetle Trap Refill is expected to be low when label directions are observed. Consequently, the health risk to residents and the general public is acceptable.

Occupational risk from handling Japanese Beetle Trap Refill

An occupational risk assessment was not required for Japanese Beetle Trap Refill.

Since Japanese Beetle Trap Refill is a domestic class product, an occupational risk assessment was not required.

Environmental considerations

What happens when 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol are introduced into the environment?

When used according to label directions, the environmental risks associated with 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol and their beetle trap end-use product are acceptable.

Japanese Beetle Trap Refill contains 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, and eugenol. 2-Phenethyl propionate, geraniol, and eugenol are fragrant chemicals produced by plants, while nuranone is a pheromone, that is, a scent signalling chemical, specific to Japanese beetles. In the beetle trap, they are present within solid beads that are in a sealed plastic cartridge attached to a plastic bag. The traps are hung outdoors in residential settings, nine metres away from flowers, fruits, vegetables, and lawns where Japanese beetle activity may occur. The chemicals gradually volatilize from the traps during the effective use period of eight weeks and are expected to not be persistent in air. The traps are disposed of in household trash after use. Considering the design and use of the product alongside the expectation that the active ingredients will readily degrade in the environment, there is low potential for exposure to non-target organisms in the environment. The environmental risks associated with Japanese Beetle Trap Refill are acceptable when it is used according to label directions.

Value considerations

What is the value of Japanese Beetle Trap Refill?

Japanese Beetle Trap Refill is a cartridge containing the active ingredients used to lure Japanese beetles away from flowers, fruits, vegetables, and lawns into a re-usable trap.

Japanese Beetle Trap Refill contains three floral attractants and a Japanese beetle pheromone. It will provide users with access to a non-conventional domestic class product for trapping Japanese beetle adults outdoors. Due to the mode of action of this product, resistance is unlikely to occur; therefore, it may aid in reducing insecticide resistance in Japanese Beetle populations.

Measures to minimize risk

Labels of registered pesticide products include specific instructions for use. Directions include risk-reduction measures to protect human health and the environment. These directions must be followed by law.

The key risk-reduction measures being proposed on the labels of 2-Phenethyl Propionate Technical, Nuranone Technical, Geraniol Technical, Eugenol Technical, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill to address the potential risks identified in this assessment are as follows.

Key risk-reduction measures - Human health

The following signal words and hazard statements are required on the technical grade active ingredient labels:

• 2-Phenethyl Propionate Technical: “CAUTION POISON”;
• Nuranone Technical: “WARNING”, “POISON”, and “EYE IRRITANT”;
• Geraniol Technical: “DANGER – EYE IRRITANT and SKIN IRRITANT” and “POTENTIAL SKIN SENSITIZER”; and
• Eugenol Technical: “WARNING”, “POISON”, “EYE and SKIN IRRITANT”, and “POTENTIAL SENSITIZER”.

The following signal words and hazard statements are required on the end-use product label: “DANGER”, “POISON”, “EYE and SKIN IRRITANT”, and “POTENTIAL SENSITIZER”. Standard precautionary statements are also required on the label.
To limit user and bystander exposure, the end-use product label requires the precautionary statements “Do not access beads in the cartridge” and “Keep out of reach of children”.

Key risk-reduction measures - Environment

Label statements instructing disposal in household trash are required.

Next steps

Before making a final registration decision on 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, eugenol, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill, Health Canada’s PMRA will consider any written comments received from the public that are directly related to this proposed decision, such as comments directed to the science evaluation, in response to PRD2025-14 up to 30 days from the date of publication (by 4 January 2026) of PRD2025-14. If more time is required to provide comments, a request for an extension of an additional 15 days can be made. Your request must be submitted in writing to the PMRA’s Publications Section within the 30-day consultation period.

Please forward all comments to PMRA Publications, through the Public Engagement Portal (Public Engagement Portal forms – Consultation Comment). Health Canada will then publish a Registration Decision, which will include its decision, the reasons for it, a summary of comments received on the proposed decision and Health Canada’s response to these comments.

Other information

When Health Canada’s PMRA makes its registration decision, it will publish a Registration Decision on 2-phenethyl propionate, nuranone, geraniol, eugenol, and Japanese Beetle Trap Refill (based on the Science evaluation of PRD2025-14). In addition, the test data referenced in PRD2025-14 will be available for public inspection, upon application, in the PMRA’s Reading Room. For more information or if you have questions, please contact the PMRA’s Pest Management Information Service.

Footnotes