Furan Compounds Group

These substances were identified for action under the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP). This screening assessment focuses on 4 of 5 substances referred to collectively under the CMP as the Furan Compounds Group.

• Summary of publications
• Timelines
• Additional risk characterization document
  • Addendum to risk management scope
• Background

Summary of publications

Substance group	CAS RN	Common name	DSL name	Additional risk characterization document	Addendum to risk management scope	Draft screening assessment	Risk management scope	Proposed conclusion on section 64 criteria	Follow-up activities
Furan Compounds Group	77-09-8	Phenolphthalein	1(3H)-Isobenzofuranone, 3,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-	None	None	HTML	None	Does not meet	Under consideration
	98-00-0	Furfuryl Alcohol	2-Furanmethanol	HTML	HTML		HTML	Meets one or more of the criteria	Refer to risk management scope and addendum
	109-99-9	Tetrahydrofuran	Furan, tetrahydro-	HTML	HTML			Meets one or more of the criteria	Refer to risk management scope and addendum
	110-00-9	Furan	Furan	None	None		None	Does not meet	None planned at this time

Timelines

Date	Activity
March 2024	Anticipated publication of the final screening assessment and the proposed risk management approach.
March 18, 2023	Publication and start of 60-day public period on the Additional Risk Characterization Document in Support of the Draft Screening Assessment for Furans Compounds Group: Furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofuran outdoor air exposure and human health risk characterization and the Addendum to the Risk Management Scope for Furan Compounds - Furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofuran in outdoor air. The related notice was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I: Vol. 157, No. 11.
September 1, 2018	Publication and start of 60-day public comment period on the Draft Screening Assessment for the Furan Compounds Group (including follow-up activities for phenolphthalein) and the Risk Management Scope for Furan Compounds Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Numbers (CAS RN): 98-00-0 and 109-99-9. The related notice was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I: Vol. 152, No. 35.

Additional risk characterization document

On March 18, 2023, the Additional Risk Characterization Document in Support of the Draft Screening Assessment for Furans Compounds Group: Furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofuran outdoor air exposure and human health risk characterization was released for a 60-day public comment period. The related notice was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I. This document contains additional information to support the screening assessment of furfuryl alcohol (CAS RN 98-00-0) and tetrahydrofuran (CAS RN 109-99-9), 2 of the 4 substances in the Furan Compounds Group. This includes data identified or generated since the publication of the draft screening assessment.

The document has been published to provide the public with the opportunity to comment on the new information, prior to it being considered in the final screening assessment of furan compounds, and if appropriate, the corresponding proposed risk management approach.

Addendum to risk management scope

On March 18, 2023, an Addendum to the Risk Management Scope for Furan Compounds - Furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofuran in outdoor air was also released for a 60-day public comment period. The related notice was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I. This scope outlines additional proposed risk management options for furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofuran under consideration to address risks outlined in in the additional risk characterization document. The risk management options described in the previously published scope document remain under consideration.

Background

One other substance, thiophene, tetrahydro-, 1,1-dioxide (CAS RN 126-33-0), was identified as being part of the Furan Compounds Group at the outset of the third phase of the CMP. This substance was subsequently determined to be of low concern to both human health and the environment, through other approaches. The conclusion for this substance is provided in the Final Screening Assessment of Substances Identified as Being of Low Concern using the Ecological Risk Classification of Organic Substances and the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC)-based Approach for Certain Substances.