ARCHIVED - Memo - Publication after screening assessment of 148 substances on the Domestic Substances List of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

2 January 2007

When CEPA, 1999 came into force, it required Environment Canada (EC) and Health Canada (HC) to categorize the approximately 23,000 substances on the Domestic Substances List (DSL) for the purpose of identifying those substances that either pose the greatest potential for human exposure, or are persistent or bioaccumulative, and inherently toxic to humans or non-human organisms.

The categorization exercise is now complete and the results of that process have been incorporated into the Government of Canada's new Chemicals Management Plan, announced by the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper and Ministers Ambrose and Clement on Friday, December 8, 2006.

The purpose of this communique is to bring to your attention one aspect of the Chemicals Management Plan that may be pertinent to your operations. A Notice of Intent (NOI) was published in the Canada Gazette on December 9, 2006 (page 4117), identifying 148 substances that meet the criteria for persistence and bioaccumulation and inherent toxicity to non-human organisms under paragraph 73(1)(b) of CEPA, 1999.

The Ministers of the Environment and Health have not identified any manufacture or importation of these substances above 100 kg per calendar year, and as such, the Minister of the Environment is proposing to apply the Significant New Activity (SNAc) provisions of CEPA, 1999 to these substances. The SNAc Notice will require any new activities for the substances to be notified and assessed prior to their introduction into the Canadian marketplace. As noted in the NOI, the SNAc provisions will apply to all 148 substances unless EC receives comments on the measures the Ministers propose to take within 60 days of the publication of the Notice.

We encourage you to determine if the above noted Notice applies to you and to respond as appropriate. As mentioned in the Notice, all comments must cite the Canada Gazette, Part I, and the date of publication of the Notice, and be sent to the Director, Existing Substances Division, Environment Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0H3, 819-953-4936 (fax), or by e-mail to ESB.DSE@ec.gc.ca.

More information about the Chemicals Management Plan, including the list of substances to be addressed, can be found via the Chemical Substances Portal at:

 Chemical Substances