Castor oil monomaleate use limits

Summary#

Environment and Health ministers published several linked notices about a group of chemicals. One is Ministerial Condition No. 22434, which allows manufacture or import of castor oil, monomaleate (CAS RN 241153-84-4) only under strict conditions. The Canada Gazette also published a notice that the government intends to add Significant New Activity requirements to four substances from the Alkanolamines and Fatty Alkanolamides Group and opened a public comment period from June 27, 2026 to August 27, 2026.

What it does#

• The ministerial condition for castor oil, monomaleate (under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999) lets the notifier manufacture or import the substance only for specific personal-care products. It requires:

  • use only in liquid body wash / shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, liquid hand soap, toothpaste, and similar products where the substance is at ≤ 2.5% by weight;
  • written notice and agreement before transferring the substance to other parties (except when already contained in a finished product);
  • record-keeping of uses, quantities, recipients and confirmations for at least 5 years;
  • the condition came into force on June 10, 2026.

• The government intends to amend the Domestic Substances List so that the Significant New Activity (SNAc) rules apply to four substances: trihydroxyl and dihydroxyl alkanolamines commonly called TEA, DEA, LDE and CDE (part of the Alkanolamines and Fatty Alkanolamides Group). Under the proposed change:

  • people proposing certain new uses or imports must give a Significant New Activity Notification at least 90 days before starting the activity;
  • thresholds trigger notification, for example:
    • TEA in air fresheners above 4% by weight, or total imports above 10 kg per year in such products;
    • DEA in cleaning sprays at ≥ 3% by weight, with imports over 10 kg per year triggering notification;
    • LDE in leave-on cosmetics above 2.5% by weight, with imports over 10 kg per year;
    • CDE in cleaning sprays at ≥ 12.5% by weight, or cosmetics (shampoo/body soap) above 21%, or leave-on products above 0.5%, with imports over 10 kg per year;
  • some uses are exempt (research & development, site-limited intermediates, export-only products, or uses already covered by other federal acts).
  • the public may comment on the proposal between June 27, 2026 and August 27, 2026.

• The Canada Gazette also published a summary assessment of 11 substances in the Alkanolamines and Fatty Alkanolamides Group. The assessment concludes the 11 do not currently meet the legal test for being toxic to the environment or people at current exposure levels, but flags DEA, LDE, CDE and TEA as “capable of becoming toxic” if future uses increase. That is why SNAc requirements are being proposed for those four.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers, importers and formulators of personal-care products, cosmetics, cleaning products, air fresheners and some food-contact materials that use these chemicals.
• Suppliers and distributors who handle castor oil, monomaleate must keep records and get written confirmations from recipients.
• Companies planning new uses or larger-scale imports of TEA, DEA, LDE or CDE (or finished products containing them) may need to submit a Significant New Activity Notification at least 90 days before starting.
• Consumers are not directly regulated, but may see changes in product formulations or availability if companies change formulations to avoid notification requirements.
• The notices do not identify specific companies; it may be unclear which firms will be affected until they assess their formulations and import volumes.

Why it matters#

• These steps give regulators advance notice before certain chemicals are used more widely or at higher concentrations. That lets government assess health and environmental risks before exposure increases.
• For ordinary people, the outcome can mean safer products and continued oversight of chemicals that have been linked to health concerns (including possible cancer effects for some substances).
• For industry, the changes add paperwork and timing: a formal notification could be required 90 days ahead of a new use or larger import, or companies may reformulate to avoid the thresholds.
• The public can comment on the proposed SNAc changes during the comment window (June 27, 2026 to August 27, 2026), which may influence final rules.