Castor-oil condition; SNAc proposal for four chemicals

Summary#

• The Government published a set of Environment Canada notices. One is Ministerial Condition No. 22434 under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 that allows a specific company (the notifier) to make or import castor oil, monomaleate (CAS RN 241153-84-4) only under strict conditions.
• Separately, the government published a notice proposing to amend the Domestic Substances List so that the Significant New Activity rules would apply to four chemicals — TEA (ethanol, 2,2′,2″-nitrilotris-), DEA (ethanol, 2,2′-iminobis-), LDE (dodecanamide, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-) and CDE (amides, coco, N,N-bis(hydroxyethyl)) — and opened a public comment period from June 27, 2026 to August 27, 2026.

What it does#

• Ministerial Condition No. 22434 (castor oil, monomaleate)

  • Allows the notifier to manufacture or import the substance, but only for use in making these consumer products where the substance is at ≤ 2.5% by weight:
    • liquid body wash / shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, liquid hand soap, and toothpaste.
  • Imports are allowed only for those uses or when the substance is already contained in such a product.
  • The notifier must tell anyone they transfer the neat substance to, in writing, about these conditions and get written confirmation that the recipient will not use it for other products.
  • The notifier must keep records (use, concentrations, quantities, recipients, confirmations), create or update some records within 30 days, and keep records for at least 5 years.
  • These conditions came into force on June 10, 2026.

• Notice of intent to amend the Domestic Substances List (SNAc proposal)

  • Proposes to apply the Significant New Activity (SNAc) rules to TEA, DEA, LDE, and CDE. That means certain new or changed uses would trigger a requirement to give the government specified information before the activity starts.
  • For the named chemicals the proposal targets specific product types and concentration or import quantity thresholds (examples):
    • TEA: air fresheners containing > 4% by weight, or import totalling > 10 kg per year in such products; certain toothpaste and mouthwash concentration thresholds (> 5% for some toothpastes, ≥ 1% for some mouthwashes).
    • DEA: cleaning sprays/all-purpose liquids at ≥ 3% by weight, or imports > 10 kg per year in such products.
    • LDE: leave-on cosmetics at > 2.5% by weight, or imports > 10 kg per year in such products.
    • CDE: cleaning sprays/all-purpose liquids at ≥ 12.5% by weight, or cosmetics thresholds such as > 21% in shampoos/liquid body soap or > 0.5% for leave-on products; similar > 10 kg per year import limits apply for those product types.
  • Anyone proposing a covered new activity would generally need to submit the prescribed information at least 90 days before starting the activity.
  • Public comments on the proposal are invited between June 27, 2026 and August 27, 2026.

• Assessment and ministers’ statements

  • The government published a summary assessment of 11 related chemicals (the Alkanolamines and Fatty Alkanolamides Group).
  • The assessment concluded none of the 11 meet the threshold for immediate action under section 64 of the Act today, but the ministers found reason to suspect DEA, LDE, CDE, and TEA could become toxic if future uses increase. They therefore propose adding those four to the List of substances capable of becoming toxic and intend to apply SNAc rules (see above).

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers, formulators and importers of:
  • personal care products (e.g., shampoos, conditioners, leave-on cosmetics, toothpaste),
  • household cleaners and sprays,
  • air fresheners.
• Companies that produce or import the specific chemicals TEA, DEA, LDE, CDE, or castor oil, monomaleate.
• Retailers and cosmetic/cleaning product brands that might receive products containing these substances at or above the listed thresholds.
• Consumers could be indirectly affected if companies reformulate products or limit imports to avoid new notification requirements.
• The ministerial condition applies to a specific notifier named in the official condition (the source does not publicly identify the company in this notice).

Why it matters#

• The ministerial condition narrows how one specific chemical (castor oil, monomaleate) can be used in Canada. That limits where it can appear in consumer products and creates reporting and record-keeping rules for the notifier — which can affect supply chains and formulation choices.
• The proposed SNAc amendments give the government a formal way to review and, if needed, control new or expanded uses of four widely used chemicals before those uses begin. That aims to prevent exposures from rising to levels that could pose health concerns.
• Businesses planning to introduce products containing these substances at higher concentrations or in new product types should watch the proposal and, if adopted, be prepared to notify regulators and provide data 90 days before starting the activity.
• The public comment period (June 27, 2026 to August 27, 2026) is an opportunity for industry, researchers, and citizens to provide information or raise concerns before final decisions are made.