May 20, 2015
The Canadian government has proposed a restriction on the use of five substances, under its Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012. The substances include the following:
- Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)
- Perfluorooctanoic acid, its salts, and its precursors (PFOA)
- Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids, their salts and precursors (LC-PFCAs)
- Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
- Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
The initiative has followed the conclusion on the final screening assessments under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) that the aforementioned substances are toxic to the environment. The proposed amendments have been developed as part of the Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan.