Factsheet: Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations

The Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 prevent potential risks of harm to the Canadian environment and, where applicable, human health. The regulations prohibit the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale or import of the toxic substances listed below, and products containing them, with a limited number of exemptions.

The substances prohibited by these regulations are amongst the most harmful: they have been declared toxic to the environment and/or human health under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), and are generally persistent and bioaccumulative.

These regulations generally apply to all persons in Canada. The Regulations may be amended from time to time to modify current requirements or to add new substances.

List of substances subject to the regulations (as of December 2017)

  1. Dodecachloropentacyclo [5.3.0.02,6.03,9.04,8] decane (Mirex)
  2. Polybrominated biphenyls that have the molecular formula C12H(10-n)Brn in which "n" is greater than 2 (PBB)
  3. Polychlorinated terphenyls that have a molecular formula C18H(14-n)Cln in which "n" is greater than 2 (PCT)
  4. Bis(chloromethyl) ether that has the molecular formula C2H4Cl2O (BCME)
  5. Chloromethyl methyl ether that has the molecular formula C2H5ClO (CMME)
  6. (4-Chlorophenyl)cyclopropylmethanone, O-[(4-nitrophenyl)methyl]oxime that has the molecular formula C17H15ClN2O3 (NCC ether)
  7. N-Nitrosodimethylamine, which has the molecular formula C2H6N2O (NDMA)
  8. Hexachlorobutadiene, which has the molecular formula C4Cl6 (HCBD)
  9. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, which has the molecular formula C14H9Cl5 (DDT)
  10. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
  11. Benzidine and benzidine dihydrochloride, which have the molecular formula C12H12N2 and C12H12N2.2HCl, respectively
  12. Hexane, 1,6-diisocyanato-, homopolymer, reaction products with alpha-fluoro-omega-2- hydroxyethyl-poly(difluoromethylene), C16-20-branched alcohols and 1-octadecanol
  13. 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, hexadecyl ester, polymers with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, gamma-omega-perfluoro-C10-16-alkyl acrylate and stearyl methacrylate
  14. 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methylpropyl ester, polymer with butyl 2-propenoate and 2,5 furandione, gamma-omega-perfluoro-C8-14-alkyl esters, tert-Bu benzenecarboperoxoate-initiated
  15. 2-Propen-1-ol, reaction products with pentafluoroiodoethane tetrafluoroethylene telomer, dehydroiodinated, reaction products with epichlorohydrin and triethylenetetramine
  16. 2-Methoxyethanol, which has the molecular formula C3H8O2 (2-ME)
  17. Pentachlorobenzene, which has the molecular formula C6HCl5 (PeCB)
  18. Tetrachlorobenzenes, which have the molecular formula C6H2Cl4 (TeCB)
  19. Polychlorinated naphthalenes, which have the molecular formula C10H8-nCln in which “n” is greater than 1 (PCNs)
  20. Short-chain chlorinated alkanes, that have the molecular formula CnHxCl(2n+2-x) in which 10 ≤ n ≤ 13 (SCCAs)
  21. (repealed)
  22. Tributyltins, which contain the grouping (C4H9)3Sn (TBTs)
  23. Hexabromocyclododecane, which has the molecular formula C12H18Br6 (HBCD)
  24. Perfluorooctanoic acid, which has the molecular formula C7F15CO2H, its salts, and its precursors (PFOA)
  25. Perfluorocarboxylic acids that have the molecular formula CnF2n+1CO2H in which 8 ≤ n ≤ 20, their salts and their precursors (long-chain PFCAs)
  26. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers that have the molecular formula C12H(10-n)BrnO in which 4 ≤ n ≤ 10 (PBDEs)
  27. Perfluorooctane sulfonate, its salts and its precursors (PFOS)

Contact us

Chemicals Management Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 Saint-Joseph Blvd 10th floor
Gatineau QC  K1A 0H3
Email: ec.interdiction-prohibition.ec@canada.ca

Disclaimer

This document provides a high level summary of the regulations and does not include all legal requirements. If there is any inconsistency or conflict between the information contained in this document and the Canada Gazette, Part II (CGII) published text and/or the Justice Canada regulatory text, the CGII and Justice Canada text prevails.

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