Solvent Violet 13 Added to Schedule 1

Summary#

The Government published a proposed order on October 1, 2022 to add Solvent Violet 13 to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. This change would not itself create new rules, but it would let the government develop regulations or other measures later to manage health risks from the substance.

What it does#

• Adds the chemical 9,10-anthracenedione, 1‑hydroxy‑4‑[(4‑methylphenyl)amino]‑ (known as Solvent Violet 13, molecular formula C21H15NO3) to Schedule 1 (the List of Toxic Substances) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
• Gives the ministers responsible under the Act the authority to propose risk-management instruments (for example, limits, restrictions, or bans) for this substance. The proposed order itself does not impose any immediate legal or cost obligations.
• Reports and the government’s screening assessment found:
  • Industry reported no manufacture above 100 kg in Canada in 2011, but imports in 2011 were in the range of 1,000 kg to 10,000 kg.
  • The substance is used as a colourant in cosmetics, candles, some natural health and pet products, and as a formulant in pest control products; it may be present in some food-contact materials and incidental additives with low expected exposure.
  • The screening assessment concluded Solvent Violet 13 meets the human-health test (risk to human life or health) under paragraph 64(c) of CEPA because some uses (e.g., lip products, body creams, spray perfumes, permanent hair dyes, face paint) could expose people at levels that may be unsafe.
  • The same assessment found low ecological risk for the environment; the substance is persistent but not bioaccumulative.
• The government ran consultations and made the screening assessment public; any future risk-management proposals would have their own consultation periods.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers and importers of colourants, cosmetics, candles, natural health products, pet shampoos, pest-control product formulants, and certain food-packaging materials.
• Consumers who use products that can contain Solvent Violet 13, especially lip products, body creams, spray perfumes, permanent hair dyes and face paints — these were the uses flagged as most likely to cause concern.
• The addition to Schedule 1 does not itself add compliance costs; the government said small businesses would not be affected by this step alone. Future regulatory measures, if proposed, could affect businesses and consumers depending on their form and scope.

Why it matters#

• This is the federal government’s formal step toward managing a chemical that it found may pose a risk to human health from common consumer uses.
• Adding a substance to Schedule 1 is the trigger that lets officials design and enforce limits or bans. That means companies that make or import products containing Solvent Violet 13 could face rules later on.
• The immediate public impact is limited (no new laws yet), but the decision signals potential future changes to make some products safer or to restrict the substance’s uses.
• The government’s ecological review found low risk to the environment; the main concern driving this action is human health.