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Melamine

1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6-triamine
CAS Registry Number 108-78-1

Publications summarized:

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Overview

  • The Government of Canada conducts risk assessments of substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) to determine whether they present or may present a risk to human health or to the environment.
    • The risks posed by a substance are determined by both its hazardous properties (potential to cause adverse human health or ecological effects) and the amount or extent that people or the environment are exposed.
    • When needed, the Government applies risk management instruments under CEPA and other federal acts to help prevent or reduce potential harm.
  • In October 2020, the Government published an Updated Draft Screening Assessment for Melamine, proposing that the substance was harmful to human health but not for the environment. Since then, new critical health effects were identified and exposure to melamine was re-examined. As a result, the characterization of the human health risk associated with exposure to melamine was updated. The new information published in the additional document does not change the overall proposed conclusions in the updated draft screening assessment.
  • The Government is still proposing that melamine is harmful to human health but not to the environment at levels of exposure considered in the assessment.
    • To help reduce potential human exposures to melamine, the Government is proposing regulatory and non-regulatory actions.

About this substance

  • The assessment focuses on the substance 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine, commonly known as melamine. Melamine is included in the Certain Organic Flame Retardants Substance Grouping under the Substance Groupings Initiative of the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP). This group includes 10 organic substances having a similar function: application to materials to slow the ignition and spread of fire.
  • Melamine does not occur naturally in the environment.
  • According to information gathered by the Government, melamine has numerous industrial applications in Canada. It is used primarily in the manufacture of melamine-based resins, for use in laminates and plastics, and as a flame retardant in polyurethane foams, paints and coatings. It is also used in the production of melamine-formaldehyde resins for similar applications, and in adhesives and moulding compounds (for example, for melaware).

Human and ecological exposures

  • The assessment indicates that people in Canada may be exposed to melamine from the use of products available to consumers, including melamine-containing tableware and kitchen utensils ("melaware" including bambooware), foam-containing products (for example, mattresses, upholstered furniture, infant and child restraint systems and booster seats), textiles, paints, sealants, and cooktop cleaner. They may also be exposed to melamine from food and environmental sources (for example water and dust).
  • The assessment took into consideration the results of human biomonitoring studies, where substances are measured in blood, urine or breast milk. The information on measured levels in humans is important in estimating exposure to people in Canada.
  • Melamine may be released to the environment in Canada from waste streams, including effluents from industrial processing activities. Discharges to the environment can occur from on-site or off-site wastewater treatment systems.
  • Although melamine can be found in products available for consumer or commercial use, release to the environment from this source is minimal.

Key health and ecological effects (hazard)

  • The health effects characterization in the assessment considered available data from international and national reports on melamine, among other sources of information. This included assessments by European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority, among others.
  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified melamine as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" and it is suspected to be a reproductive toxicant that may damage sperm and testes. Carcinogenicity (potential to cause cancer), effects on the urinary system and reproductive toxicity were considered to be the important or critical effects identified for characterizing the risk to human health in the assessment.
  • Melamine has demonstrated low toxicity to aquatic and soil-dwelling organisms.

Consideration of subpopulations who may have greater susceptibility or greater exposure

  • There are groups of individuals within the Canadian population who, due to greater susceptibility or greater exposure, may be more vulnerable to experiencing adverse health effects from exposure to substances.
  • Certain subpopulations are routinely considered throughout the assessment process, such as infants, children, and people of reproductive age. For instance, age-specific exposures are routinely estimated, and developmental and reproductive toxicity studies are evaluated for potential adverse health effects. For melamine, these subpopulations were taken into account in the risk assessment outcomes. Generally, infants and children were found to have higher exposure than adults.

Risk assessment outcomes

  • Assessments focus on information critical to determining whether substances are harmful to human health or the environment under CEPA. This is done by considering scientific information, including information, if available, on subpopulations who may have greater susceptibility or greater exposure, vulnerable environments and cumulative effects and by incorporating a weight of evidence approach and precaution.
  • Based upon a comparison of levels to which people in Canada may be exposed to melamine from the use of melaware including bambooware (through migration of melamine from melaware into food and beverages), foam-containing products (including mattresses, upholstered furniture, and infant and child restraint systems and booster seats), paints (brush and roller paint and in spray format), sealants, and cooktop cleaner, and levels associated with critical health effects, it was determined that these sources of exposure may pose a risk to human health.
  • The risk to human health for melamine from environmental sources, food (for example, due to use in food packaging) and textiles was not identified to be of concern.
  • Considering all information presented, it was determined that there is low risk of harm to the environment from melamine.

Proposed assessment conclusions

  • The Government is proposing that melamine may be harmful to human health at levels of exposure considered in the assessment.
  • The Government is also proposing that melamine is not entering the environment at concentrations that are harmful.
  • Melamine is proposed to meet the persistence but not the bioaccumulation criteria as set out in the Persistence and Bioaccumulation Regulations of CEPA.

Preventive actions and risk reduction

  • If the proposed conclusion is confirmed in the final assessment, the Government will consider proposing to add 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine (melamine) to Part 2 of Schedule 1 to CEPA. Adding a substance to Schedule 1 does not restrict its use, manufacture or import. Rather, it enables the Government to take enforceable risk management actions under CEPA.
    • Toxic substances that pose the highest risk (that is, meet certain criteria) are added to Part 1 of Schedule 1. These are prioritized for total, partial or conditional prohibition.
    • Other toxic substances are added to Part 2 of Schedule 1 and are prioritized for pollution prevention.
    • Regulations specifying criteria for the classification of substances that pose the highest risk or that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction will be developed. When criteria are available, some substances considered for addition to Part 2 of Schedule 1 may instead be considered for addition to Part 1 of Schedule 1.
  • Publication of the revised risk management scope aims to inform stakeholders of proposed risk management options and initiate discussions about their development. The Government will consider the following actions to address human health concerns:
    • Flame retardant uses: Regulatory and non-regulatory actions to help reduce prolonged dermal exposure of the general population and oral exposure of infants 0 to 3 years old to melamine in products made with polymeric foams, such as polyurethane foam (including upholstered furniture, mattresses, mattress toppers, and other foam-based products to which prolonged skin contact may be expected), and to reduce prolonged dermal exposure to infants and children to melamine in polymeric foam in infant and child restraint seats including booster seats.
    • Melaware and bambooware tableware and kitchen utensils: Regulatory and non-regulatory actions to help reduce dietary exposure of the general population to melamine from melamine-containing tableware and kitchen utensils ("melaware" including bambooware) through migration of melamine from melaware into food or beverages.
    • Do-it-yourself products: Regulatory and non-regulatory actions to help reduce dermal (skin) and/or inhalation exposure to melamine in paints, and dermal (skin) exposure to melamine in sealants.
    • Cleaning products: Regulatory and non-regulatory actions to help reduce dermal (skin) exposure to melamine in cooktop cleaners.
  • Information is being sought by the Government to inform risk management decision-making. Details can be found in the revised risk management scope, including where to send information during the public comment period, ending March 26, 2025.
  • Risk management actions may evolve through consideration of assessments and risk management actions published for other substances. This is to ensure effective, coordinated, and consistent risk management decision-making.

Where to find updates on risk management actions

Related resources

  • Melamine is found in products available to consumers. People in Canada should follow any safety warnings and directions related to the product and dispose of products responsibly.
  • Visit Healthy home for information on chemical safety in and around the home, including on melamine (for consumers) and flame retardants (for consumers).
  • For more information on melamine as a food contaminant, including regulatory and scientific developments in food chemical contamination, visit Health Canada's Chemical Contaminants web page on melamine.
  • A summary of the risk assessment and management of flame retardant substances under CEPA is available.
  • Assessments conducted under CEPA focus on risks of exposure of the general population. Hazards related to chemicals used in the workplace are defined within the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). If a substance is harmful to the general population, it could also be of concern for individuals in situations where a higher volume of the substance is used or where the substance is used for a longer duration (for example, the workplace). The Government of Canada recognizes that it is the responsibility of the federal, provincial and territorial occupational health and safety organizations to coordinate legislation for the safe use of chemicals in the workplace. We are working to support this role by integrating the information, tools, and technical expertise of the CMP and Health Canada's Workplace Hazardous Products Program.

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