HMIRA Claims to Withhold SDS Information

Summary#

This is a public notice from Health Canada that a number of suppliers and employers have filed claims under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA) asking to keep some information off safety data sheets (SDSs) and product labels. The notice (published September 25, 2021) lists the companies and products that made those claims, for review by Health Canada.

What it does#

• Explains that under the HMIRA, a supplier or an employer can ask Health Canada to treat parts of an SDS or label as confidential business information (CBI).
• Lists the specific claims that were filed — mostly requests to withhold the chemical identity (C.i.) and/or the concentration (C.) of one or more ingredients from the public SDS or label.
• Gives the names of the companies and product identifiers that filed claims. Examples include Baker Hughes Canada Company, Nalco Canada ULC, Stratasys Ltd., FUJIFILM Electronic Materials, U.S.A., Inc., Halliburton Group Canada and Dow Chemical Canada ULC.
• The notice records the filings; it does not say whether Health Canada has approved or rejected any of the claims.

Who's affected#

• The companies that make and import the listed products (suppliers who filed claims).
• Employers who use those hazardous products and who may have filed claims on behalf of their workplaces.
• Workers, contractors, first responders, and safety officers who rely on SDSs and labels for information about hazards and safe handling.
• Anyone who buys, transports, or stores the listed products may notice less ingredient detail on SDSs or labels if a claim is accepted.

Why it matters#

• SDSs and labels are a primary way people learn about chemical hazards. If some ingredient names or concentrations are withheld as CBI, users may have less public information about what is in a product.
• That can affect workplace safety decisions, emergency response, and purchasing choices — for example, when choosing less hazardous alternatives or assessing exposure risks.
• This notice only records that claims were filed; it does not mean the information will definitely be kept secret. The outcome depends on Health Canada’s review, which is not reported here.