Toxic substances list: PBDEs

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of substances used as flame retardants in a wide variety of products. PBDEs are not manufactured in Canada but are imported into Canada as commercial mixtures and added to various intermediate and finished products, such as computer housings, household appliances, furniture, automotive/aircraft seating and interiors, and a variety of electrical and electronic components. Releases of PBDEs to the environment can occur during manufacturing and processing operations, throughout the service life of articles containing PBDEs, and when articles that contain PBDEs are disposed of.

PBDEs were identified as a high priority for action in the Chemicals Management Plan, as announced by the Government in December 2006. Following the screening assessments of the Ministers of the Environment and Health, published on July 1, 2006, PBDEs have been identified as 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 (i.e., “toxic” as defined under paragraph 64(a) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999). The seven PBDE homologues included in these screening assessments are tetra-(Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) No. 40088-47-9), penta-(CAS No. 32534-81-9), hexa-(CAS No. 36483-60-0), hepta-(CAS No. 68928-80-3), octa-(CAS No. 32536-52-0), nona-(CAS No. 63936-56-1) and decaBDE-(CAS No. 1163-19-5).

Since the completion and publication of the Ecological Screening Assessment Report in 2006, a large amount of new information has been published respecting the accumulation of one form of PBDE, decaBDE, in biota and its potential transformation to persistent and bioaccumulative products. This information has been summarized and evaluated in the Ecological State of Science Report on decaBDE published in August 2010.

In 2009, hexaBDE and heptaBDE were added to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). For information on Canada's international engagement on these substances, 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 on PBDEs and were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II on October 5, 2016. The Regulations expand the scope of the existing prohibition for PBDEs to cover all PBDE substances (including decaBDE) and products containing them, except manufactured items.

On October 13, 2018, a Notice of intent to amend the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 (NOI) 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 PBDEs.

Comments and information received in response to the NOI 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 these substances, please visit the Chemical Substances website for PBDEs.

Risk assessment

• Ecological Screening Assessment Report on Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (June 2006)
• CEPA Schedule 1 - List of Toxic Substances
• Virtual elimination of the substance (Track 1) under the Toxic Substances Management Policy
• State of the Science Report on the Bioaccumulation and Transformation of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (Final version) (August 2010)
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Canadian environment
• Human Health State of the Science Report on Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE) (December 2012)

Risk management strategy

Click on the following link to view strategies and actions recommended to manage risks associated with the substance:

• Risk management strategy for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), final revised (August 2010)

Risk management tools

Tools developed to manage risks associated with the substance:

• Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Regulations (July 2008) (repealed)
• Risk management of decaBDE: commitment to voluntary phase-out exports to Canada

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 Proposed Risk Management Measure for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (April 2015)
• Consultation Document on the Proposed Risk Management Instrument for Products Containing Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (September 2013 )
• Consultation Document on the Proposed Risk Management Measure for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (February 2013)
• Update to Canada's National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
• Risk Management Strategy for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (December 2006)
• Revised Risk Management Strategy for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), Revised March 2009 (Consultation period closed)
• Summary of the Revised Risk Management Strategy for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
• Proposed Performance Agreement to Control, Monitor and Minimize the Release of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (DecaBDE) Commercial Mixture from Canadian Facilities where DecaBDE is Used or Handled (March 2009) (Consultation period closed)
• State of the Science Report on the Bioaccumulation and Transformation of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (DRAFT) (March 2009) (Consultation period closed)
• Reply to Comments Received in Submissions on the Proposed Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Regulations Published on December 16, 2006, in Part I of the Canada Gazette (July 2008)
• Reply to Comments Received on the Government of Canada's Revised Risk Management Strategy for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Draft Ecological State of the Science Report on Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE) (Bioaccumulation and Transformation) published March 2009 (August 2010)
• Proposed Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Regulations (December 2006) (Consultation Period Closed)
• Proposed Order Adding Toxic Substances to Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (July 2006) (Consultation Period Closed)
• Draft Environmental Screening Assessment Report on Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (February 2004) (Consultation Period Closed)

Other Information

• Health Canada Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) Fact Sheet
• Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (external site)
• Summary of Risk Assessment and Management of Flame Retardant Substances Assessed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

Contact

Chemicals Management Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 St-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau (QC)
K1A 0H3
E-mail: ec.interdiction-prohibition.ec@canada.ca

Return to Substance List