Information for laboratories using certain toxic substances

The Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 prevent potential risks of harm to the Canadian environment and human health by prohibiting 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.

Annual reporting required

The prohibition does not apply to listed toxic substances, or to any products containing them, that are to be used in a laboratory for analysis, in scientific research or as a laboratory analytical standard. Users of the listed toxic substances for the above purposes are required to report certain information to the Minister as soon as feasible before the use of more than 10 grams of any substance in a calendar year.

Separate reports must be submitted every calendar year for each substance. A reporting form is available online to facilitate reporting. The information that must be reported includes:

• Information respecting the laboratory and person authorized to act on behalf of the laboratory
• Information respecting the substance and, if applicable, the product in which it is used:
• For substances:
  • the name of the toxic substance (as listed in the regulations)
  • the anticipated period of its use per calendar year (January to December)
  • the estimated quantity of the toxic substance to be used in each calendar year
  • a brief description of each proposed or actual use
• For products:
  • the name of the product containing the listed toxic substance
  • the estimated quantity of the product to be used, and
  • the estimated concentration of the listed toxic substance in the product

Updates to the list of prohibited substances

The regulations may be amended from time to time to modify current requirements or to add new substances. If you are using a substance newly added to the regulations in a laboratory for analysis, in scientific research or as a laboratory analytical standard, reports on the use of more than 10 grams in a calendar year are due within 60 days of the coming-into-force of the amended regulations. 

In order to stay informed, please visit the CEPA registry and the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations webpage. You may also send us an email to be added to our distribution list.

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

1. Dodecachloropentacyclo [5.3.0.0^2,6.0^3,9.0^4,8] decane (Mirex)
2. Polybrominated biphenyls that have the molecular formula C₁₂H_(10-n)Br_n in which "n" is greater than 2 (PBB)
3. Polychlorinated terphenyls that have a molecular formula C₁₈H_(14-n)Cl_n 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 benzenecarbo peroxoate-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 C₁₀H_8-nCl_n in which “n” is greater than 1 (PCNs)
20. Short-chain chlorinated alkanes, that have the molecular formula C_nH_xCl_(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 C_nF_2n+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)Br_nO 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