Screening Assessment: 21 Low-Risk Substances

Summary#

On November 14, 2020, the ministers published a screening assessment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 for 21 substances on the Domestic Substances List. The assessment concluded these substances are low risk and the ministers propose no further regulatory action now, while saying they may collect more information about silicon carbide (SiC).

What it does#

• Publishes the science-based screening assessment for 21 substances using ecological and human-health approaches.
• Concludes the assessed substances do not meet the danger criteria in section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and so the ministers propose no further action at this time for the group, including molybdenum oxide (MoO3).
• Flags silicon carbide (SiC) for possible follow-up: although current exposure is low, it is linked to effects of concern, so the government may use information-gathering tools (for example, future mandatory surveys) to learn more about commercial use and exposures.
• Makes the full assessment and the complete list of substances available on the government’s Chemical Substances webpage (Annex II lists the substances).

Who's affected#

• Companies that make, import, sell or use any of the listed chemicals in Canada — for example, some metal producers, pigment and chemical suppliers, and users of industrial compounds such as tin, beryllium, iodine compounds and hydrogen peroxide.
• Environmental and public‑health researchers and regulators who follow screening results and priorities.
• The general public: ordinary consumers are unlikely to see immediate changes because no new controls were proposed for these substances. If the government gathers more data on silicon carbide (SiC), some businesses could be asked to report information later.

If it’s unclear whether a particular company or product is affected, the full list of the 21 substances is in the assessment on Canada.ca.

Why it matters#

• For businesses: no new restrictions right now reduces near-term regulatory uncertainty for those using these substances. But follow-up data requests (especially for silicon carbide (SiC)) could lead to future checks or actions if use grows.
• For communities and consumers: the assessment says current exposure levels pose low risk to health and the environment, so no immediate public‑health action is expected.
• For policy and oversight: the notice shows how the government triages chemicals — most in this group were considered low concern, but the government will keep monitoring and can require more information if needed.