Triclocarban guidelines and screening assessment

Summary#

• The federal government published the Draft Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for triclocarban and opened a public comment period starting with the Canada Gazette notice of March 25, 2023 (comments accepted for 60 days).
• At the same time, the government released a final screening assessment that concluded triclocarban does not currently meet the test for being “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, so no regulatory action is planned right now; follow-up monitoring is being considered.

What it does#

• Makes the draft Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for triclocarban available online and asks for scientific comments for 60 days after the notice.
• Publishes the final screening assessment finding that triclocarban does not meet the criteria in section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, so ministers propose to take no further action at this time.
• Notes possible follow-up actions, including periodic monitoring of surface water and sediment, and says the government has already published FEQGs for water and sediment that will guide any tracking.
• Summarizes current uses and reported imports of triclocarban, including reported import volumes of 10 000 kg to 100 000 kg (in 2008) and 1 000 kg to 10 000 kg (in 2015), and that it was not manufactured above the reporting threshold of 100 kg in Canada.

Who's affected#

• Consumers who use certain cosmetics that may contain triclocarban (for example, some bar soaps and facial cleansers).
• Companies that import or sell products containing triclocarban, because monitoring, guidelines, or future regulatory steps could affect how those products are made or labelled.
• Environmental and water quality managers and researchers — they may use the draft guidelines and any future monitoring to track levels in water and sediment.
• It is unclear whether any immediate changes will affect other groups; the notice mainly invites scientific comment and signals possible monitoring rather than new rules.

Why it matters#

• The screening assessment says current exposure levels are low enough that triclocarban is not judged to pose a human-health or ecological threat under the law today.
• However, the chemical shows concerning properties in studies (harm to aquatic life, potential to build up in some organisms, and effects seen in animal tests), so the government wants to watch uses and environmental levels.
• The draft guidelines and any monitoring data could be the first steps toward clearer limits or future action if use or environmental levels rise.
• If you make, sell, or use products that may contain triclocarban, or care about water quality, this is a notice to pay attention: the government is seeking scientific comment now and may follow up later.