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Wood preservatives in Canada are governed by the Pest Control Products Acts and must be registered with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada.
The PMRA’s role is to determine if preservatives can be used safely when label directions are followed and if they will be effective for their intended use. If there is reasonable certainty from scientific evaluation that no harm to human health, future generations or the environment will result from exposure to or use of a preservative, its registration for use in Canada will be approved.
Once on the market, PMRA monitors their use through a series of education, compliance and enforcement programs. Preservatives are also reviewed every fifteen years or sooner as new information is discovered and as science evolves. PMRA also requires companies to report any incident they receive about their products, just as they encourage consumers to report any incidents to these companies through their Incident Reporting Program.
In Canada, four different preservatives are registered with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for industrial / commercial / agricultural uses:
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) have developed a guidance document for the treated wood industry and other interested stakeholders regarding the permitted uses of Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) for treatment of wood for industrial use.
Ammoniacal Copper Zinc Arsenate (ACZA)
Pressure treated wood has a long and safe history of use in Canada. These preservatives are important in high risk exposure conditions and in critical safety applications. These high risk and safety applications include marine facilities such as pilings and structures, utility poles and cross arms, pilings for terrestrial and freshwater uses, commercial and agricultural construction including primarily foundations and fence posts, and highway structures such as bridge components, guardrails, and posts.