Restrictions on glycolipids in cosmetics and soaps

Summary#

This is Significant New Activity Notice No. 22299 under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. It covers the substance glycolipids, rhamnose‑contg., Pseudomonas putida‑fermented, from D‑glucose, sodium salts (CAS 2892303‑59‑0) and requires people to tell the federal environment department before using it in certain consumer-cleaning and cosmetic products. Notifying the government must be done 90 days before the new use; a temporary threshold of 100 kg and a deadline of January 31, 2027 also apply.

What it does#

• Declares the specific substance (CAS 2892303‑59‑0) not on the Domestic Substances List, and treats certain new uses as “significant new activities.”
• A significant new activity includes using the substance at concentrations greater than 2% by weight in:
  • a cosmetic (except oral cosmetics),
  • a liquid laundry soap or liquid laundry detergent that is a consumer product, or
  • a hand dish soap or hand dish detergent.
• Selling or distributing a product that contains the substance in those products is also a significant new activity.
• Short-term rule: between publication and January 31, 2027, the use or sale is only a significant new activity if the amount involved is greater than 100 kg.
• Exceptions (not subject to this notice) include:
  • use as a research and development substance or a site‑limited intermediate,
  • manufacture of products that are for export only,
  • uses already regulated under certain federal acts (for example the Pest Control Products Act, Fertilizers Act, and Feeds Act).
• Information and timing rules:
  • Anyone proposing a significant new activity must submit a notification at least 90 days before starting.
  • Required information includes a description of the planned use, the expected annual quantity, the substance’s function in the product, available toxicity and exposure data, and contact details and certification.
  • Specific testing is required to assess eye irritation at concentrations relevant to use (from greater than 2% by weight up to less than 9% by weight).
  • Studies must follow accepted laboratory‑practice standards (OECD Good Laboratory Practice).
  • The ministers will assess complete notifications within 90 days of receipt.
• Transfer rules: people who get physical possession of the substance do not have to be notified if it is already contained in a consumer product or cosmetic at the time of transfer.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers and formulators who might add this substance to:
  • cosmetics (non‑oral),
  • liquid laundry soaps/detergents sold as consumer products, and
  • hand dish soaps/detergents.
• Importers, distributors and retailers of those finished products could be affected if they handle goods that meet the notice’s conditions.
• Companies planning large-scale new uses (over 100 kg before January 31, 2027) will need to notify.
• Entities doing research, using the substance as a site‑limited intermediate, or making products only for export are likely not affected.
• It is not clear from the notice how widely this substance is currently used in Canada.

Why it matters#

• The government has flagged the substance because it may pose risks to human health or the environment if used in the listed ways. The notice makes sure regulators get data before such uses start.
• For businesses, this can mean extra testing, paperwork, and a waiting period before launching or importing products that contain the substance above 2% by weight. That can affect product development timelines and costs.
• For consumers, the rule aims to reduce the chance that a chemical with uncertain risks ends up in everyday cleaning products and cosmetics without an assessment.
• A SNAc notice does not approve the substance for use; it only requires notification and assessment before certain new uses proceed.