New substances: risk assessment summary, new substances notification 20864
Official title: New Substances Notification 20864: Isocyanic acid, polyalkylenepolyphenylene ester, polymer with alkanediol, 2-alkoxyethanol- and 1(or 2)-(2-methoxymethylethoxy)alkanol-blocked (Confidential Accession Number 19616-4)
Regulatory decisions
Under the provisions for Substances and Activities New to Canada in Part 5 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), and pursuant to section 83 of the Act, the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health have assessed information in respect of the substance and have determined that it is not anticipated to enter 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, constitute or may constitute a danger to the environment on which life depends, or constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health.
Substance identity
The notified polymer is isocyanic acid, polyalkylenepolyphenylene ester, polymer with alkanediol, 2-alkoxyethanol- and 1(or 2)-(2-methoxymethylethoxy)alkanol-blocked (Confidential Accession Number 19616-4). The substance does not meet the Reduced Regulatory Requirements criteria according to the New Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers) because it contains a high percentage of low molecular weight components.
Notified and potential uses
The substance is proposed to be imported into Canada in quantities greater than 10 000 kg/yr for the notified use in automotive coatings. No other uses are anticipated in Canada.
Environmental fate and behaviour
Based on its physical and chemical properties, if released to the environment, the substance will tend to partition to soil and sediment. The substance is expected to be persistent in these compartments because it does not contain any functional groups that are susceptible to degradation under environmental conditions. The substance is not expected to bioaccumulate based on its low predicted bioaccumulation and bioconcentration factors (< 250 L/kg).
Environmental risk assessment
Based on the available hazard information, the substance is not expected to have adverse effects at saturation in fish, aquatic invertebrates, and algae. A predicted no-effect concentration was not calculated given the low potential for hazard to the environment.
The notified and other potential activities in Canada were assessed to estimate the environmental exposure potential of the substance throughout its life cycle. Environmental exposure from the notified activities is expected to be mainly from cleaning of transportation vessels and equipment by release of the substance to water at low rates. A predicted environmental concentration was not calculated due to the low potential for environmental exposure and low ecotoxicity. No potential activities that could significantly increase environmental risks compared to those notified were identified.
Based on the low potential for ecotoxicity and environmental exposure, the substance is unlikely to cause harm to the environment in Canada.
Human health risk assessment
Based on the available hazard information, the substance is expected to have a low acute toxicity by the oral route (median lethal dose > 2000 mg/kg body weight). The substance does not contain structural features associated with adverse human health effects.
When the notified substance is used in automotive coatings, the general public may come into contact with coated products containing the substance; however, direct exposure is not expected because the substance will be chemically reacted into a stable matrix once cured and will be unavailable for uptake. Indirect exposure of the general population from environmental media is not expected given the specialized industrial use of the substance, which results in little or no release to the environment. No potential uses that could significantly increase human health risks compared to the notified uses were identified.
Based on the low potential for toxicity and exposure, the substance is not likely to pose a significant health risk to the general population, and is therefore unlikely to be harmful to human health.
The assumptions made in the assessment are considered to be adequately protective for the general population as well as for subpopulations who may be more susceptible or highly exposed.
Assessment conclusion
When the substance is used as notified, it is not suspected to be harmful to human health or the environment according to the criteria under section 64 of the Act.
A conclusion under CEPA, on this substance, is not relevant to, nor does it preclude an assessment against the hazard criteria for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System that are specified in the Controlled Products Regulations or the Hazardous Products Regulations for products intended for the workplace.