Polychlorinated Biphenyls and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

The following Regulations made under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) control activities as set in Part 5 on Toxic Substances, Part 7 on Controlling Pollution and Managing Waste and Part 9 on Government Operations and Federal and Aboriginal Land of this Act.

The PCB Regulations establish a prohibition on the release, manufacture, processing, use, import, export, offer for sale and sale of PCBs and products that contain certain concentrations of PCBs, and also provide exceptions to these prohibitions and the duration of these exceptions. They also set storage requirements for PCBs and products containing PCBs across Canada and labelling and reporting requirements of PCBs that may continue to be used or that are being stored above certain prescribed concentrations and quantities. The verbal notification of releases of PCBs or products containing it to the environment is required under the Environmental Emergencies Program of Environment Canada. The  written reporting of releases of PCBs or products containing it to the environment is required under section 5 of the PCB Regulations (2008).

The PCB Waste Export Regulations (1996) prohibit the export of wastes containing PCB in a concentration of 50  mg/kg or more to any country other than the United States.

The Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations (2005) control the import of waste containing PCBs in a concentration of 50 mg/kg or more.

The Federal Mobile PCB Treatment and Destruction Regulations (1990) prescribe the approval process required for undertaking the treatment and destruction of PCBs on federal land in Canada.

Regulations controlling PCBs are available on the CEPA Registry: