Amines, C18-22-tert-alkyl, ethoxylated, also known as ATAE, is an industrial chemical compound.
How is it used?
Historically, ATAE has been used in the petroleum and natural gas industry, and as a drilling mud additive, oil recovery and oil well drilling agent.
ATAE is not in commerce in Canada.
Why Did the Government of Canada assess It?
ATAE was identified as a potential concern to the environment based on available information regarding possible persistence, accumulation and potential to cause harm to the environment.
What is the Government of Canada doing?
The evaluation showed that ATAE can stay in the environment for a long time. It has the potential to build up in the bodies of animals or within the food chain and small amounts of ATAE could harm animals or plants that live in the water.
However, the Government of Canada has reviewed information that indicates that ATAE is not currently in commerce in Canada in significant quantities.
As a result of these low quantities, it is unlikely that ATAE is entering the environment as a result of commercial manufacture or use in this country.
The Government of Canada is proposing that ATAE does not cause harm to the environment.
If the proposed conclusion is confirmed in the final assessment, the Government is proposing that ATAE be subject to a Significant New Activity notice or SNAc. This action would require anyone proposing to manufacture or bring ATAE into the country to provide information to the Government. Further ecological and human health assessment would them be done by the Government before considering whether to allow such activities.
The draft screening assessment was published on January 24, 2009 and will be followed by a 60-day public comment period, ending March 25, 2009.
