Seven chemicals added to Domestic Substances List

Summary#

This is the federal order Order 2020-87-04-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List. It adds seven chemical substances to Canada’s Domestic Substances List and places extra reporting rules on one of them — a fluorinated pentane (CAS 132182-92-4) — for certain uses in consumer products. The order came into force on February 27, 2020, with some reporting rules phased in on January 1, 2021 (transitional rules end December 31, 2020).

What it does#

• Adds seven substances to the Domestic Substances List, including:
  • Part 1 additions: 25067-21-4, 119462-56-5.
  • Part 2 addition with reporting conditions: 132182-92-4 (the substance pentane, 1,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,5,5‑decafluoro-3‑methoxy‑4‑(trifluoromethyl)-).
  • Part 3 masked-name additions: 19381-9, 19382-0, 19383-1, 19385-3.
• For the fluorinated pentane (132182-92-4) the order applies the significant new activity (SNAc) rules. That means anyone proposing certain new uses must notify the government at least 90 days before starting the activity and provide specified information (including exposure details and toxicity test data).
• Activities that trigger notification include using the substance in the manufacture of, or in, a consumer product covered by the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act that:
  • is liquid or intended to be sprayed; and
  • contains the substance at 1% by weight or more.
• Quantity thresholds:
  • During the transitional period (from the order coming into force until December 31, 2020) the notification rule applies only where the use is 100 kg or more.
  • After transition, the general threshold for certain consumer-product uses is 10 kg in a calendar year.
• The notification must include specific test data, for example tests following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) methods such as Test No. 413 (subchronic inhalation) and Test No. 417 (toxicokinetics), carried out under good laboratory practice.
• The order does not apply to certain uses already regulated under other federal laws (for example pesticides, fertilizers, feeds), to export-only products, or to certain confined research or intermediate uses.

Who's affected#

• Companies that make, import, formulate or use the listed chemicals in Canada — especially the fluorinated pentane (132182-92-4).
• Manufacturers and packagers of consumer products that are liquids or sprays and that might contain 1% by weight (or meet the quantity thresholds) of that substance.
• Importers and distributors who need to track amounts to know whether the SNAc rules apply.
• Regulators at the federal departments that assess those notifications (the order references the roles of the federal ministers responsible for environment and health).

If it isn’t clear whether a specific product or activity meets the thresholds or exclusions, the source recommends contacting regulators for guidance.

Why it matters#

• Adding substances to the Domestic Substances List is mostly administrative: it means those chemicals are officially recognized as present in Canada and are no longer covered by the general new-substance notification rules for initial import/manufacture.
• The extra SNAc reporting for 132182-92-4 is a preventive measure. The government identified potential human‑health concerns (systemic toxicity and persistence) if the substance were used in some consumer products. The notification requirement forces an assessment before those new uses begin.
• For businesses, this can mean extra time and cost if they plan to start using, importing or making consumer products with that chemical above the thresholds. They may need to generate or provide test data and wait at least 90 days for the assessment.
• For consumers, it means an added layer of assessment for certain new uses of a fluorinated chemical in liquids and sprays, intended to reduce the chance that risky uses reach the marketplace.