Toxic substances list: PFOS
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), its salts and its precursors all belong to the larger class of fluorochemicals referred to as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) which contain carbon atoms that are completely saturated by fluorine. It is the strength of the carbon-fluorine bonds that contributes to the extreme stability and unique properties of these perfluorochemicals.
PFOS, its salts and its precursors are not manufactured in Canada. Since the voluntary phase-out of the production of these substances by the primary supplier in the United States in 2002, importations have been significantly limited.
On July 1, 2006, the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health published, in Part I of the Canada Gazette, their final decision on the assessment of PFOS, its salts and certain other compounds. The ecological screening assessment concluded that PFOS, its salts and certain other compounds are or may be entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that have or may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment or its biological diversity. The human health assessment concluded that current levels of PFOS exposure are below levels which might affect human health. Based on the conclusions of the assessment of PFOS, an Order was published in Part II of the Canada Gazette adding PFOS, its salts and certain other compounds to the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule 1 under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). On December 16, 2006, the proposed Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Its Salts and Certain Other Compounds Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I. The final regulations were published in Part II of the Canada Gazette on June 11, 2008.
On January 13, 2009, the Regulations Adding Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and its Salts to the Virtual Elimination List were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II. The regulations add PFOS and its salts to the Virtual Elimination List compiled under subsection 65(2) of CEPA. The regulations demonstrate the Government of Canada’s continuing commitment to virtually eliminate PFOS and to meet the requirements of the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act, which received Royal Assent on April 17, 2008.
In 2009, PFOS was added to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). For information on Canada's international engagement on this substance, please visit the web section on the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
The Regulations Amending the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 include controls for PFOS and were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II on October 5, 2016. The amendments maintain similar regulatory requirements for PFOS as found in the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Its Salts and Certain Other Compounds Regulations and revised exemptions. As a result, the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Its Salts and Certain Other Compounds were repealed when the amended regulations came into force on December 25, 2016.
On October 13, 2018, a Notice of intent to amend the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 was published in Canada Gazette, Part I for a 30-day public comment period that ended on November 12, 2108.
On December 20, 2018, a consultation document describing the proposed amendments to the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 was published on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act Registry for a 60-day public comment period. The proposed amendments would seek to further restrict the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale and import of certain toxic substances, including PFOS.
Comments and information received in response to the Notice of Intent and the consultation document will be considered in the development of proposed regulations to amend the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012. Please note that the target for publication of the proposed regulatory amendments to the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 in the Canada Gazette, Part I, is winter (December 2021-March 2022).
For more information on this substance, please visit the Chemical Substances website for PFOS.
Risk assessment
Sources
This substance is entering the environment from the following sources:
Risk management strategy
Click on the following link to view strategies and actions recommended to manage risks associated with the substance:
Risk management tools
Tools developed to manage risks associated with the substance:
Consultations
Consultations (past and present) on the substance:
- Consultation document on proposed amendments to the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 for PFOS, PFOA, LC-PFCAs, HBCD, PBDEs, DP and DBDPE (December 2018)
- Notice of intent to amend the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 published in Canada Gazette, Part I (October 2018)
- Response to comments on the proposed Regulations Amending the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulation, 2012 (October 2016)
- Response to comments on the Consultation Document on the Examination of On-going Exemptions for PFOS its salts and certain other compounds (April 2015)
- Consultation document - Perfluorooctane Sulfonate, its Salts and Certain Other Compounds Regulations- Examination of On-going Exemptions (January 2013)
- Consultation on the update to the national implementation plan on persistent organic pollutants
- Proposed Risk Management Strategy for Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), Its Salts and Its Precursors
- Proposed Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Its Salts and Certain Other Compounds Regulations
- Response to Comments on the Notice of Intent to recommend export controls for perfluorooctane sulfonate, its salts (PFOS) and lindane
Other information
Contact
Chemicals Management Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351, St-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0H3
E-mail: ec.interdiction-prohibition.ec@canada.ca
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