Permit for tall‑oil amide; MSP assessment

Summary#

• The Canada Gazette published several Environment notices on January 17, 2026, including Ministerial Condition No. 22256 that allows limited manufacture or import of the chemical amides, tall‑oil fatty, N‑[3‑(dimethylamino)propyl] (CAS RN 68650‑79‑3) under strict conditions, effective December 15, 2025.
• It also published an updated draft assessment for phenol, methylstyrenated (MSP) (CAS RN 68512‑30‑1) that proposes MSP may harm the environment and opens a public comment period from January 17, 2026 to March 18, 2026.

What it does#

• Ministerial Condition No. 22256 (amides, tall‑oil fatty, N‑[3‑(dimethylamino)propyl], CAS RN 68650‑79‑3):

  • Allows a specific notifier to manufacture or import the substance, but only to use it as a component in asphalt or bitumen emulsions.
  • Limits transfers so the substance can only go to people who agree to the same use restriction.
  • Requires the notifier to tell the Minister of the Environment at least 120 days before starting manufacture in Canada and to provide details about quantities, facility address, transport, storage, releases, disposal plans and manufacturing process.
  • Sets disposal rules: rinse containers and either reuse the rinsate in asphalt emulsions or dispose of rinsate and wastes by incineration or in an engineered hazardous waste landfill.
  • Requires records on quantities, transfers and disposal, kept for at least five years at the notifier’s principal place of business in Canada.
  • Came into force on December 15, 2025.

• Updated draft assessment of phenol, methylstyrenated (MSP) (CAS RN 68512‑30‑1):

  • Reports new information and notifications indicating increased use and potential releases to water.
  • Finds evidence MSP is persistent, can bioaccumulate, and can harm aquatic organisms at low concentrations.
  • Proposes to conclude MSP meets environmental harm criteria in section 64(a) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and recommends adding it to Schedule 1 (if finalized).
  • Releases a revised risk‑management scope and invites public comment between January 17, 2026 and March 18, 2026.
  • Notes notified imports are in the range of 10,000 kg to 100,000 kg per year and that proposed uses include paints and coatings for ships and large equipment.

• Other Environment items on the same Gazette page:

  • An order amending the Non‑domestic Substances List removes two CAS numbers; the change comes into force when a related Domestic Substances List order does.
  • A consultation on proposed amendments to the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 (hunting seasons, limits, and administrative changes) is open from January 17, 2026 to February 15, 2026, and proposes ending paper hunting permits starting in 2027–2028.

Who's affected#

• Ministerial Condition No. 22256:

  • The named notifier (the person or company that filed information on August 27, 2025).
  • Companies that make, import, handle or use the substance, especially producers of asphalt or bitumen emulsions.
  • Transporters, waste handlers and hazardous waste landfills that may deal with containers, rinsate or waste from the substance.
  • Regulators and enforcement officers who monitor compliance.

• MSP draft assessment:

  • Industries that manufacture, import or use MSP, including suppliers of paints and coatings for ships and large equipment.
  • Communities and ecosystems near facilities that release MSP to water.
  • Drinking‑water systems and people who rely on them (the assessment says general exposure through drinking water gives margins considered adequate, but infants were identified as the most highly exposed subgroup).
  • Anyone who wants to comment on the assessment or risk management options during the public comment period.

• Migratory birds consultation:

  • Hunters, wildlife managers, Indigenous communities, conservation groups and anyone with an interest in game bird regulations.

• Non‑domestic list change:

  • Chemical companies and importers tracking whether specific substances are on the domestic or non‑domestic lists.

Why it matters#

• The ministerial condition shows how a chemical that may be risky can still be allowed under narrow, controlled uses. That affects which businesses can use the substance and how they must handle waste and spills.
• The MSP draft assessment signals a likely shift toward stricter controls if MSP is added to Schedule 1. That could lead to limits or requirements on its use, disposal and monitoring, especially for industries using it in coatings.
• There is an opportunity for public input on the MSP assessment (comments due by March 18, 2026) and on migratory bird hunting rules (comments due by February 15, 2026). Public feedback can influence final decisions.
• For local communities, the notices matter because they address chemical releases to water and set rules for waste handling and emergency response that can affect environmental and public health.