The Canada Environmental Protection Act (CEPA, 1999) regulates toxic substances under the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations. This oversight is for safeguarding the environment and human health. These regulations prohibit the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale, or import of certain toxic substances. Accordingly, CEPA may modify the list of substances when required.
Enviropass is a Canadian-based consulting company serving manufacturers and importers worldwide. We can help you comply with the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations.
CEPA is one of the most significant laws in Canada contributing to sustainable development. Critical sections of the act deal with respecting pollution prevention and protecting the environment and human health. Furthermore, the assessment and management of chemical substances (specifically toxic ones) also see regulation in this document.
Per CEPA’s section 46, a Canadian plastics registry requires manufacturers, importers, and providers to report annually on the types and quantities of plastics they produce, import, or distribute. This initiative supports the goal of zero plastic waste by 2030 and includes various product categories like:
The registry aims to help Canada monitor plastic use and waste, promoting a circular economy. Reporting applies to entities managing plastic waste and products, from September 2025. However, exemptions exist for those handling less than 1,000 kg annually.
From January 2024, importers and manufacturers of mixtures and articles in Canada must provide information on certain persistent organic pollutants from CEPA Schedule I (Toxic Substances List).
The Chemicals Management Plan, which stems from Schedule I, lists these declarable substances. They are for example:
In general, the threshold of over 100 kg/year of most of these substances over 0.1% component level, under certain conditions for articles, triggers the mandatory declaration. However, the concentration is 0.0001% when it comes to reporting PFAS.
Additionally, the 3 possible types of mandatory reports are:
In essence, the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations (2012) prevents the manufacture, use, sale, or import of a list of toxic substances and the products containing them. Subject to these regulations, CEPA publishes the list of substances on its registry website. The Canadian Environmental Protection Act declared these substances toxic to the environment and human health. Typically, they are also persistent and bioaccumulation. These prohibited substances stem from the Chemicals Management Plan of Schedule I, following data from the Section 71 of CEPA (surveys).
Interestingly, Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs) are already restricted in products under the Canadian Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances.
Contact Enviropass to assess SCCP content in your products!
An important note is that CEPA may amend these regulations periodically by adding new substances or adapting them to industry developments.
Primarily, there were a few exemptions to these restrictions. However, the amendment (see below) tends to remove or provide time limits for these exemptions. These restrictions are exclusively related to PFOA, PFOS, LC-PFCAs, PBDEs, and HBCD.
On December 20th, 2018, CEPA published a consultation document intending to amend the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations. In particular, the purpose of this amendment is to phase out the use of the following CEPA toxic substances:
The first three above substances are well-known per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Furthermore, this amendment bans the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale, and import of two additional toxic substances and products containing them:
These seven substances are mostly persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) in the environment and can move long distances. Consequently, they threaten some Canadian ecosystems, including the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale and the Saint Lawrence Estuary Beluga. Therefore, maintaining restrictions on these substances through regulations is critical for decreasing their concentration to the lowest possible levels in the Canadian environment. The USA (TSCA-PBT) and Europe (POP – Halogen-free) also control persistent organic pollutants.
PFASs are a group of human-made chemicals. They are generally resistant to oil, water, and heat. Various consumer, industrial, and commercial products contain PFAS, including:
Three well-known PFASs are:
PFASs could adversely impact the environment and human health. Alarmingly, scientists have found these substances in the blood of humans and animals worldwide. Here are some of the specific harmful effects of PFASs on human health:
PFASs are known as “Forever Chemicals” due to their persistently long life in the environment. They are classified as PBTs and raise considerable environmental concerns. Furthermore, scientists have detected PFASs in drinking water, municipal wastewater, and landfills.
Therefore, the Government of Canada has prohibited these dangerous substances through various regulations, including the previously mentioned Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012.
PBDEs are brominated flame retardants. There are more than 200 substances in the family of PBDEs such as tetraBDE, pentaBDE, hexaBDE, heptaBDE, octaBDE, nonaBDE, and decaBDE. Various products contain PBDEs, including:
If a certain amount of PBDEs enter the environment, they can cause immediate or long-term adverse impacts. These chemicals can result in thyroid and liver problems not only in animals but also in humans. As a result, many countries internationally have regulated PBDEs based on their concentrations and applications in different products.
For example, such regulations in the electrical and electronic industry often fall under RoHS regulations:
HBCD is another brominated flame retardant. In Canada, the application of this substance is limited to the automotive sector. However, some products made from recycled plastics may contain small amounts of HBCD. Moreover, the building and construction industry and electronics have historically utilized this substance in their operations.
HBCD is dangerous to the environment due to its toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation characteristics. Consequently, this chemical has been on the Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) list under the European REACH regulation since October 28th, 2008.
DBDPE is an organic flame-retardant substance. In Canada, many applications use DBDPE as an additive to slow the combustion and spread of fire, such as:
DBDPE poses a risk of harm to the environment. Indeed, the environmental degradation of DBDPE is slow and could produce persistent and bioaccumulative substances which are specifically very toxic to aquatic organisms. In addition, several studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of DBDPE on the liver, thyroid, reproduction, and neurons of animals.
DP is an organic substance used as an additive flame retardant to slow the start or spread of fire. Many applications use this substance, such as:
DP may cause adverse effects on the environment due to its persistence and bioaccumulation characteristics.
Hence, in January 2018, European Chemical Agency (ECHA) recognized DP as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) under the REACH regulation.
Other Canadian regulations apply to products, such as the Canadian Energy Efficiency Regulations 2016 (SOR/2016-311)
Are these regulations and their amendments affecting the compliance of your products and services? Reach out to the Enviropass team to get help and consultation for your environmental obligations.
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