Free Cyanide and Cyanide Complexes Listed

Summary#

The federal government published a proposed Order Adding a Toxic Substance to Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 on March 18, 2023. If finalized, it would add free cyanide, cyanide salts and cyanide complexes to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, which would allow the government to develop rules to control their releases; the public comment period for the proposal is 60 days.

What it does#

• Adds free cyanide, cyanide salts and cyanide complexes to Schedule 1 (the List of Toxic Substances) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
• This listing does not itself create new rules or require businesses to change practices. It gives the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health the authority to later propose risk‑management measures under the Act.
• The departments assessed a group of 10 cyanide‑related substances (including common chemicals such as hydrogen cyanide and sodium cyanide) and concluded the group meets the ecological test for being “toxic” because of harm to the environment.
• The assessment found the ecological risk comes mainly from releases to water linked to the metal mining, iron and steel manufacturing, and road salt sectors. The same assessment concluded there is low risk to human health from the substances considered.

Who's affected#

• Industrial operators in metal mining (including gold extraction), iron and steel manufacturing, and businesses that handle or import sodium cyanide are the most likely to be affected if future rules are made.
• Producers and users of products that contain metal‑cyanide complexes (for example some corrosion inhibitors, dyes, and certain ferrocyanide salts used as anticaking agents in road salt and limited food uses) could be involved in consultations and eventual controls.
• General consumers are unlikely to see immediate changes from this listing. The assessment judged current exposures from consumer products and food for the substances reviewed to be low.

Why it matters#

• Cyanide compounds can be highly toxic to aquatic life. The government’s screening assessment found the substances can harm aquatic organisms where they are released into water.
• Adding these substances to Schedule 1 is the formal step that lets the government design and propose specific risk‑management actions (for example limits on discharges, changes in industrial practices, or guidance for road salt use).
• The listing itself does not change operations or impose costs, but it may lead to future regulations or guidance that could affect how some industries manage waste and runoff to better protect waterways.