ARCHIVED Information Note – Changes to agricultural uses following the re‑evaluation decision for RVD2021‑04: Lambda-cyhalothrin and its associated end-use products
Pest Management Regulatory Agency
9 May 2024
Archived content
On 3 February 2025, this webpage was replaced by a newer version, Information Note – Changes to registered uses of lambda-cyhalothrin and some of its associated end-use products. This page is being archived and the webpage remains online for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. This page will not be altered or updated.
Table of Contents
- Outcome of re-evaluation of agricultural uses of lambda-cyhalothrin
- Health Canada's assessment
- Implementation
- Food versus feed uses
- Application to re-instate cancelled feed uses
- For more information
- Appendix I - Outcome of re-evaluation of agricultural uses of lambda-cyhalothrin
The purpose of this information note is to provide an overview to pesticide users and other stakeholders of the changes to the agricultural uses of the insecticide Lambda-cyhalothrin, as a result of the Re-evaluation decision RVD2021-04, Lambda-cyhalothrin and its associated end-use products published by Health Canada on 29 April 2021.
Outcome of re-evaluation of agricultural uses of lambda-cyhalothrin
- Continued registration for some food uses, as outlined in Appendix I, with additional risk mitigation measures.
- Cancelled registration for the following uses:
- Crops for animal feed uses
- Lettuce (field and greenhouse)
- Condiment type mustard seeds
- Bulb vegetables from revised Crop group 3-07
- Oilseeds from revised Crop group 20
- except flax seeds, oilseed-type mustard seeds and rapeseed (canola grade only)
Health Canada's assessment
As part of the re-evaluation of lambda-cyhalothrin, Health Canada completed assessments of human health and environmental risk, as well as value. Potential risks of concern were identified from dietary exposure. Cancellation of all food and feed uses, as well as some uses in residential areas were proposed at that time.
Using a science-based approach, Health Canada reviewed the information received during the 90-day public consultation period. As a result, the dietary risk assessment was refined and some food uses were acceptable for continued registration with additional risk mitigation measures. However, crops for animal feed use and the other crops listed above were cancelled, as the overall health risks were not acceptable.
Implementation
As of 29 April 2023: Stop use of lambda-cyhalothrin on the cancelled crops listed previously in this document.
Follow updated labels for crops for which uses were acceptable and granted continued registration. To find the most up-to-date label, use the online label search tool on Canada.ca, or search for "Health Canada pesticide labels" using your favourite search engine.
As of 29 April 2024: Changes to the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for lambda-cyhalothrin include:
- MRLs previously specified for certain food commodities have been revoked as of this date (refer to page 53 of RVD2021-04). Consequently, the MRLs for these commodities have been removed from the MRL database and lambda-cyhalothrin residues for these specific commodities are covered under the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 ppm for all food commodities other than those listed in Table 2 of PMRL2021-14.
- MRLs currently specified for food commodities that are supported by continued registration in RVD2021-04 remain unchanged. See page 2 of RVD2021-04 for a summarized list of acceptable uses, when mitigation measures are applied.
- The MRL of 0.01 ppm is also applicable to all food commodities that do not have specific MRLs listed in the MRL database.
Food versus feed uses
Acceptable uses
- Lambda-cyhalothrin is acceptable for use on crops used for food that appear on the approved product label, with the mitigation measures included on the label.
Unacceptable uses
- Do not feed lambda-cyhalothrin treated crops, including forage, grain, seed screenings and aftermath, to livestock to avoid transfer of residues to food commodities such as meat and milk.
- Effective 29 April 2024, residues of lambda-cyhalothrin in feed samples produced and imported in Canada must not exceed 0.01 ppm.
Users must follow the instructions on the updated labels. Using a pesticide contrary to the label directions is a violation of the Pest Control Products Act which may be subject to an enforcement action in accordance with Health Canada's compliance and enforcement policy for pesticides.
Application to re-instate cancelled feed uses
- Health Canada recognizes the challenges faced by growers and livestock producers as a result of the re-evaluation decision to cancel feed uses for lambda-cyhalothrin.
- Health Canada received applications to reinstate cancelled feed uses. Reinstatement of a previously cancelled use must undergo scientific review (value, and human health and environmental risks – as required) by Health Canada. The scope of review is dependent on the use request.
- Further information is required from the registrants to proceed with the applications. As such, a regulatory decision on the applications to re-instate the cancelled feed uses will not be possible for the 2024 growing season. Growers are encouraged to secure alternative products for the upcoming season.
- Recognizing the challenges for the agricultural sector, the review of the applications to reinstate cancelled feed uses for lambda-cyhalothrin will resume as soon as the required information is received.
The status and outcome of any applications containing lambda-cyhalothrin can be found in the Pesticide Product Information Database.
For more information
- Re-evaluation decision RVD2021-04, Lambda-cyhalothrin and its associated end-use products.
- Proposed re-evaluation decision PRVD2017-03, Lambda-cyhalothrin
- Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2021-14, Lambda-cyhalothrin
- Changes to the registration of lambda-cyhalothrin pesticides (structural uses)
- Pesticides in Canada
- Compliance and enforcement policy for pesticides
- Maximum residue limits, human health, and food safety
- Pesticides compliance and enforcement: Overview
- Pesticide Product Information Database
- Residue Chemistry Crop Groups - Canada.ca
The Health Canada-approved label is the official document for enforcement purposes. In the event of any discrepancy with the contents of this information note, the information on the label shall prevail.
Appendix I Outcome of re-evaluation of agricultural uses of lambda-cyhalothrin
Note, this table does not provide a complete listing of all lambda-cyhalothrin uses. For decisions related to structural uses, as well as agricultural uses related to ornamental plants, trees and turf, please consult the re-evaluation decision RVD2021-04. For MRL changes related to crops not listed in Table 1, consult the document: PMRL2021-14, Lambda-cyhalothrin, or use the Maximum residue limits search.
| Crop information | Decision as per RVD2021-04 | Canadian MRL (ppm) |
|---|---|---|
| Carrot | Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures | 0.01 |
| Arrowroot, Cassava, Taro corms, Ginger, Jerusalem artichoke, Potato, Sweet potato, Tanier corms, Turmeric, Yam bean, Yam | Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures | 0.02 |
Crop group 3-07: bulb vegetables All registered commodities within the crop group |
Cancelled for all uses (residues must not exceed the LOQ 0.01 ppm) | 0.01 |
| Head and leaf lettuce | Cancelled for all uses (residues must not exceed the LOQ of 0.01 ppm) | 0.01 |
Crop group 5-13: brassica head and stem vegetable group Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, chinese broccoli, chinese napa cabbages, cauliflower |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.4 |
Crop group 6: legume vegetables (succulent or dried) Dry adzuki beans, dry beans, dry blackeyed peas, dry broad beans, dry catjang beans, dry chickpeas, dry cowpea seeds, dry field peas, dry grain lupins, dry guar seeds, dry kidney beans, dry lablab beans, dry lentils, dry lima beans, dry moth beans, dry mung beans, dry navy beans, dry pigeon peas, dry pink beans, dry pinto beans, dry rice beans, dry southern peas, dry tepary beans, dry urd beans |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. Cancelled for feed use (residues must not exceed 0.01 ppm) |
0.1 |
Crop group 6: legume vegetables (succulent or dried) Dry soybeans, succulent shelled blackeyed peas, succulent shelled broad beans, succulent shelled english peas, succulent shelled garden peas, succulent shelled green peas, succulent shelled lima beans, succulent shelled peas, succulent shelled pigeon peas, succulent shelled southern peas |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. Cancelled for feed use (residues must not exceed 0.01 ppm) |
0.02 |
Crop group 6: legume vegetables (succulent or dried) Edible-podded dwarf peas, edible-podded jackbeans, edible-podded moth beans, edible-podded peas, edible-podded pigeon peas, edible-podded scarlet runner beans, edible-podded snap beans, edible-podded snow peas, edible-podded sugar snap peas, edible-podded sword beans, edible-podded vegetable soybeans (edamame), edible-podded wax beans, edible-podded yardlong beans |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. Cancelled for feed use (residues must not exceed 0.01 ppm) |
0.2 |
Crop group 8-09: fruiting vegetables African eggplants, bell peppers, bush tomatoes, coconas, currant tomatoes, eggplants, garden huckleberries, goji berries, groundcherries, martynias, naranjillas, non-bell peppers, okras, pea eggplants, pepinos, roselles, pepper hybrids, scarlet eggplants, sunberries, tomatillos, tomatoes, tree tomatoes |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.2 |
Crop group 9: cucurbit vegetables Balsam apples, balsam pears, cantaloupes, chayote fruit, chinese cucumbers, chinese waxgourds, citron melons, cucumbers, edible gourds (other than those listed in this item), muskmelons (other than those listed in this item), pumpkins, summer squash, watermelons, west indian gherkins, winter squash |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.05 |
| Apple, pear | Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.3 |
| Cherry, nectarine, peaches, plums | Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.5 |
| Saskatoon berry | Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.08 |
| Strawberry | Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.01 |
| Crop group 14-11: tree nuts
African tree nuts, almond nuts, beechnuts, black walnuts, Brazil nuts, Brazilian pine nuts, bunya nuts, bur oak nuts, butternuts, cajou nuts, candlenuts, cashew nuts, chestnuts, chinquapin nuts, coconuts, coquito nuts, dika nuts, English walnuts, ginkgo nuts, guiana chestnuts, hazelnuts, heartnuts, hickory nuts, Japanese horse-chestnuts, macadamia nuts, mongongo nuts, monkey puzzle nuts, monkey-pot nuts, okari nuts, pachira nuts, peach palm nuts, pecan nuts, pequi nuts, pili nuts, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, sapucaia nuts, tropical almond nuts, yellowhorn nuts |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.05 |
Crop group 15: cereal grains Barley, buckwheat, field corn, oats, pearl millet, popcorn grain, proso millet, rye, sweet corn kernels plus cob with husks removed, teosinte, triticale, wheat |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. Cancelled for feed use (residues must not exceed 0.01 ppm) |
0.05 |
Crop group 15: cereal grains Field corn flour |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. Cancelled for feed use (residues must not exceed 0.01 ppm) |
0.15 |
Crop group 15: cereal grains Barley bran, rye bran, sorghum, wheat bran |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. Cancelled for feed use (residues must not exceed 0.01 ppm) |
0.2 |
Crop group 15: cereal grains Rice, wild rice |
Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. Cancelled for feed use (residues must not exceed 0.01 ppm) |
1 |
Crop group 20: oilseeds (revised) Flax seed, mustard seeds (oilseed type) |
Acceptable for food use with revised mitigation measures. | 0.01 |
Crop group 20: oilseeds (revised) Rapeseed (including canola) |
Acceptable for food use with revised mitigation measures. | 0.3 |
Crop group 20: oilseeds (revised) Canola oil |
Acceptable for food use with revised mitigation measures. | 0.5 |
Crop group 20: oilseeds (revised) Sunflower oil, Sunflower seeds, Undelinted cotton seeds |
Cancelled for all uses (residues must not exceed the LOQ of 0.01 ppm) | 0.01 |
| Mustard seed (condiment type) | Cancelled for all uses (residues must not exceed the LOQ of 0.01 ppm) | 0.01 |
| Asparagus | Acceptable for food use with revised mitigation measures. | 0.02 |
| Celery | Acceptable for food use with revised mitigation measures. | 0.3 |
| Kohlrabies | Acceptable for food use with revised mitigation measures. | 0.4 |
| Beef and non-lactating dairy cattle | Acceptable for food use with revised risk mitigation measures. | 0.2 |
| All food commodities (other than those listed in this item) | The MRL of 0.01 ppm will also be applicable to all food commodities that do not have specific MRLs listed in the MRL database. | 0.01 |