Conditions for three chemicals; pig consultation

Summary#

The Canada Gazette published several ministerial conditions under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 that allow the manufacture or import of three specific chemical substances under strict limits and record-keeping rules. It also opened a public consultation on four lines of gene‑edited pigs (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome resistant) notified by Genus PLC; comments are invited from June 20 to July 20, 2025.

What it does#

• Varies Ministerial Condition No. 21194 (now Ministerial Condition No. 21194a) to let the notifier make or import the substance “carbopolycycle, acid‑treated, oxidized” (Confidential Accession Number 19612‑0) only as a precursor to a silver‑doped form, with limited re‑use options:

  • Can be transferred for use as an additive in concrete/cement composites at up to 1% by weight, for fuels, or in anti‑corrosion and icephobic coatings — but only if applied industrially or, for consumer products, if they do not generate inhalable particles (no sprays/mists/aerosols).
  • When used as the allowed precursor, the notifier must prevent releases to the environment and either incinerate waste or dispose of it in an engineered hazardous waste landfill.
  • Record rules require keeping records for 5 years and updating addresses within 30 days. The condition came into force on May 20, 2025.

• Issues Ministerial Condition No. 22068 for 2H‑isoindole‑2‑hexaneperoxoic acid (CAS 128275‑31‑0):

  • Bans use in most cosmetics but allows limited use in dental products with concentration caps: toothpaste/tooth powder ≤ 0.11% by weight, mouthwash ≤ 0.27%, tooth‑whitening products ≤ 1.2%.
  • Prohibits the substance in diapers and sanitary napkins.
  • Requires written notice and confirmation before transfers (except when contained in a finished product) and similar record‑keeping for 5 years. The condition came into force on May 23, 2025.

• Issues Ministerial Condition No. 22160 for a triazine‑based substance (CAS 69004‑04‑2):

  • Allows manufacture/import but requires the notifier to notify the Minister of the Environment at least 120 days before starting manufacturing in Canada and to provide detailed information about planned quantities, facility location, how it will be stored and transported, likely releases, destruction/disposal methods, and the manufacturing process.
  • Standard requirements to stop and report any environmental release and to keep records for 5 years. The condition came into force on March 26, 2025.

• Opens a consultation under the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms) and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 on four lines of gene‑edited pigs that are resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). The pigs were notified by Genus PLC on April 22, 2025, and public comments are requested from June 20 to July 20, 2025. The notice notes that consultation is now mandatory for assessments of vertebrate animals following Bill S‑5 (which received royal assent in June 2023).

Who's affected#

• Notifiers, manufacturers and importers of the three named chemicals.
• Companies that make or use:
  • concrete and cement composites (where the first substance may be used up to 1% by weight),
  • fuels,
  • anti‑corrosion and icephobic coatings,
  • dental care products (toothpaste, tooth powder, mouthwash, tooth‑whitening products).
• Waste managers and hazardous‑waste disposal facilities that would handle incineration or engineered hazardous waste landfilling.
• Genus PLC, animal breeders, livestock producers, researchers, and anyone with an interest in gene‑edited animals or agricultural biotechnology — they can send comments during the consultation period (June 20–July 20, 2025).
• If unclear: the notices name the notifiers but do not list all downstream manufacturers or users who might encounter these substances in supply chains.

Why it matters#

• These ministerial conditions let certain chemicals into Canada but set limits and tracking rules intended to reduce environmental and health risks (limits on concentrations, bans for some uses, strict disposal and record keeping).
• For businesses, the rules affect what products can contain these substances and the paperwork and disposal options they must use.
• The gene‑edited pig consultation gives the public and stakeholders a formal chance to comment before the assessment is finished. That matters for farmers, veterinarians, and anyone concerned about the use of genome editing in livestock.
• The notices show the government balancing controlled access for industry with measures aimed at reducing unintended releases and protecting public and environmental health.