Order 2024-87-21-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List: SOR/2025-17
Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 159, Number 5
Registration
SOR/2025-17 February 5, 2025
CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999
The Minister of the Environment makes the annexed Order 2024-87-21-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List under subsection 87(3)footnote a of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 footnote b.
Ottawa, February 4, 2025
Steven Guilbeault
Minister of the Environment
Order 2024-87-21-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List
Amendments
1 Part 1 of the Domestic Substances List footnote 1 is amended by deleting the following:
- 111-41-1
| Column 1 Substance |
Column 2 Significant new activity for which substance is subject to subsection 81(3) of the Act |
|---|---|
| 111-41-1 Sʹ | 1 The use of the substance ethanol, 2-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]- in the manufacture of any of the following products if the product contains the substance at a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by weight:
|
Coming into Force
3 This Order comes into force on the day on which it is registered.
REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT
(This statement is not part of the Order.)
Issues
The Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) is a Government of Canada initiative through which the risks of exposure of Canadians and the environment to substancesfootnote 2 are assessed and managed. As part of the CMP, the Minister of the Environment (the Minister) may apply the significant new activity (SNAc) provisions of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) to certain substances to request information to assess the potential for environmental and human health risks when the substance is used in a significant new activity. A significant new activity is an activity that results in the entry of a substance in the environment in a different quantity or concentration, or in different circumstances, than those in which the substance previously entered into the environment, which could affect the environmental or human exposure to that substance in Canada. If risks are identified, the Government of Canada may recommend risk management measures to mitigate them.
In accordance with subsection 87(3) of CEPA, the Minister is issuing Order 2024-87-21-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List (DSL)footnote 3 to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to ethanol, 2-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]- (CAS RNfootnote 4 111-41-1), also known as “AEEA.”
Background
Chemicals Management Plan
In 2006, the Government of Canada launched the CMP, a federal program with the objective of reducing the risks posed by certain substances to Canadians and the environment from exposure to activities that involve them (e.g. industrial releases from manufacturing) or products that contain them (e.g. consumer products use and disposal). As part of the CMP, government officials from the Department of the Environment and the Department of Health (the departments) conduct assessments under the authority of CEPA to analyze the available information on substances (e.g. hazardous properties and uses) in order to identify existing and potential environmental and human health risks posed by exposure to these substances. The Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health (the ministers) may recommend the development of risk management measures to mitigate these risks wherever identified, under the authority of a broad suite of federal laws, including CEPA, the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, the Food and Drugs Act, the Pest Control Products Act, and the Fisheries Act.
The SNAc provisions of CEPA
Following the assessments of substances, the Minister may apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances that are determined to have properties of concern, to request information to assess the environmental and human health risks of increased exposure to these substances when used in a significant new activity in Canada. The SNAc provisions establish a requirement for any person (individual or corporation) considering manufacturing, importing or using a substance for a significant new activity to submit a Significant New Activity Notification (SNAN) to the Minister containing the prescribed information for that substance. Upon receipt of the complete information, government officials would conduct further assessment of that substance before the activity is undertaken, to determine whether exposure to that substance from that activity could pose a risk to the environment or human health and whether further risk management considerations may be required to mitigate those risks.
To see the substances subject to the SNAc provisions of CEPA, please visit the Canada.ca Open Data Portal.
Description, uses, and sources of exposure
AEEA does not occur naturally in the environment. The Minister issued a mandatory survey under section 71 of CEPAfootnote 5 that included the substance. Information received from industry for the reporting year 2008 indicated that a lesser quantity than the reporting threshold of 100 kilograms (kg) of AEEA was manufactured in Canada, and more than 500 000 kg of AEEA were imported into Canada. In 2011, AEEA was not manufactured in Canada, and between 100 000 kg and 500 000 kg of AEEA was imported into Canada in the same year.
In Canada, AEEA is present as a component in food-packaging adhesives and inks with no direct contact with food, and as a component of an agent used in the paper manufacturing process. AEEA is also a component in additives for closed recirculating cooling systems where the treated water will not come into direct contact with food. AEEA may also be present in some epoxy adhesives, or super glues, used for small-scale repairs or hobbies. AEEA can also be found as a component of corrosion inhibitors, lubricant additives, and as a component of pigments used in fibres (e.g. carpets).
However, most of the AEEA imported into Canada is used as a chemical intermediate, a curing agent for epoxy resins, in commercial building products, and a component of adhesives and sealants used in asphalt paving or patching. AEEA can also be a minor constituent of solid products in building materials, with very limited potential for release.
Internationally, in the United States, AEEA has been used as a reactant in the production of an organic flotation agent used to process ground marble ore. In Europe, AEEA is used in the production of polyurethane and hardeners for epoxy resins. Specifically, in Switzerland, AEEA is reported as a constituent of soldering flux. In Japan, AEEA is primarily used as a chemical intermediate to produce surfactants and waxes for application in consumer uses. Other international uses of the substance have been identified which could be of concern for human health, including use in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe.
Summary of the assessment
As part of the CMP, in May 2016, the ministers published a Final Screening Assessment for Ethanol, 2-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-(AEEA), part of the Internationally Classified Substance Grouping, on the Canada.ca (Chemical Substances) website. The screening assessment concluded that the substance does not meet the environmental or health criteria for a toxic substance as set out in paragraph 64(a), (b) or (c) of CEPA.footnote 6 The screening assessment also determined that the substance has properties of concern that could pose a risk to the environment or human health if exposure levels to AEEA were to increase from its use in a significant new activity in Canada. As a result, the Minister decided to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to AEEA.
Objective
The objective of Order 2024-87-21-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List (the Order) is to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to AEEA in accordance with subsection 87(3) of CEPA. As part of the CMP, the Order contributes to the protection of the environment and human health by reducing the risks associated with increased exposure of Canadians and the environment to AEEA in the event of its use in a significant new activity in Canada.
Description
Pursuant to subsection 87(3) of CEPA, the Order applies the SNAc provisions under subsection 81(3) of CEPA to AEEA. For a description of the significant new activities associated with this substance, please see the regulatory text in the Order.
Applicability
The Order does not impose any regulatory requirements on existing activities involving the substance in Canada, which have been determined to present no or limited risk, or are adequately managed.
The SNAc provisions of CEPA target potential significant new activities involving a substance that could result in a new or increased exposure to that substance in Canada. A significant new activity is an activity that results in the entry of the substance in the environment in a different quantity or concentration, or in different circumstances, than those in which the substance previously entered into the environment.footnote 7 For details on the significant new activities associated with AEEA, please see the regulatory text in the Order.
Should a person (individual or corporation) choose to engage with a substance, they would be required to comply with any regulations associated with that substance. In the same manner, if a person chooses to engage in a significant new activity in relation to a substance subject to the SNAc provisions of CEPA, they would be required to submit a SNAN to the Minister. The SNAN must contain all of the information prescribed in an order and must be submitted in the prescribed period before the day on which the significant new activity begins. The prescribed information to complete a SNAN is specific to each substance and is described in the order that applied the SNAc provisions of CEPA to a substance.footnote 8 For details on the information that would be required to be submitted in a SNAN for AEEA, please see the regulatory text in the Order.
Notification requirements
Below is a summary of the notification requirements for AEEA. For specific details, please see the regulatory text in the Order.
Activities subject to notification requirements
The notification requirements apply to
- the use of the substance in the manufacture of a consumer product to which the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act applies that is to be sold in a container larger than 250 mL, or in the manufacture of a cosmetic as defined in section 2 of the Food and Drugs Act, if the product or cosmetic contains the substance at a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by weight; and
- the importation of the substance in any consumer product to which the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act applies that is to be sold in a container larger than 250 mL, or in any cosmetic as defined in section 2 of the Food and Drugs Act, that contains the substance at a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by weight if the total quantity imported in all such products or cosmetics in a calendar year is greater than 10 kg.
Activities not subject to notification requirements
The notification requirements do not apply
- if the substance is a research and development substance, site-limited intermediate substance, or export-only substance;footnote 9
- to any use of the substance that is regulated under the Acts of Parliament listed in Schedule 2 of CEPA, including the Pest Control Products Act, the Fertilizers Act, and the Feeds Act; and
- if the substance is exempt or excluded from notification requirements under CEPA (i.e. as a transient reaction intermediate, impurity, contaminant, partially unreacted material, or incidental reaction product, and, under certain circumstances, in mixtures, manufactured items, or wastes).footnote 10
Information requirements
Below is a summary of the information requirements for the notification of a proposed significant new activity in relation to AEEA. For specific details, please see the regulatory text in the Order.
The Order requires the submission of
- a description of the proposed significant new activity;
- relevant information in Schedules 4 and 5 of the New Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers) (SOR/2005-247);
- a description of the product or cosmetic that contains the substance, the intended use and method of application of that product, and the function of the substance within that product; and
- other information in respect of the substance, including additional details surrounding use, and exposure information.
Regulatory development
Consultation
As part of the CMP, on June 25, 2016, the Minister published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to AEEA in the Canada Gazette, Part I, for a 60-day public comment period. During the public comment period, a stakeholder submitted information identifying a use of AEEA that had not previously been identified. As a result, revisions to the definition of the significant new activities relating to this substance were made. On September 12, 2020, an amended NOI was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, for a 60-day public comment period. During this period, the Department received one comment stating no objection to the publication.
The departments informed the provincial and territorial governments about the Order through the CEPA National Advisory Committee (CEPA NAC)footnote 11 via a letter and provided them with an opportunity to comment. No comments were received from the Committee.
Modern treaty obligations and Indigenous engagement and consultation
An assessment of modern treaty implications conducted in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Federal Approach to Modern Treaty Implementation concluded that orders amending the DSL to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances do not result in any impact on modern treaty rights or obligations, as they do not impose regulatory requirements (see “Applicability” section) that could result in incremental impacts (see “Benefits and costs” section) that would warrant specific engagement and consultation with Indigenous Peoples separate from the 60-day public comment period that followed publication of the NOI.
Instrument choice
The decision to use the SNAc provisions of CEPA is risk-based. The SNAc provisions will be considered for use where there is reasonable suspicion that certain new activities with respect to a substance may result in new or increased risks to the environment or human health. That suspicion could be based on factors such as the specific properties of that substance, the function of that substance and the presence of that substance in markets in other jurisdictions.footnote 12
As part of the CMP, the assessment informed the determination that applying the SNAc provisions of CEPA to AEEA is the most appropriate instrument to mitigate the risks of increased exposure of Canadians and the environment to the substance in the event of use in a significant new activity in Canada.
Regulatory analysis
Benefits and costs
Orders amending the DSL to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances do not result in incremental impacts (benefits and costs). The SNAc provisions aid in the protection of the environment and human health through their contribution to the main objective of the CMP. These orders usually do not apply to current activities identified at the time of the analysis involving those substances, as they are not considered to pose an environmental or human health risk, or their risk is adequately managed. These orders apply to the potential use of those substances in a significant new activity that could result in a new or increased exposure to those substances. Should a person (individual or corporation) choose to engage in a significant new activity involving a substance subject to the SNAc provisions of CEPA, they would be required to comply with all the regulations in place associated with that activity and that substance, including the requirement to submit a SNAN to the Minister. Therefore, the costs associated with a submission of a SNAN are not considered incremental to the SNAc provisions for a substance, but rather costs of conducting business and/or complying with federal laws and regulations in Canada.
Small business lens
Since orders amending the DSL to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances do not result in incremental impacts (benefits and costs), the assessment of the small business lens concluded that these orders do not have impacts on small businesses.footnote 13
One-for-one rule
Since orders amending the DSL to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances do not result in incremental impacts (benefits and costs), the assessment of the one-for-one rule concluded that these orders do not have impacts on businesses that would need to be addressed under the rule.footnote 14
Regulatory cooperation and alignment
Canada cooperates with other international organizations and regulatory agencies for the management of chemicals (e.g. the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the European Chemicals Agency, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), and is party to several international multilateral environmental agreements in the area of chemicals and waste.footnote 15 The CMP is administered in cooperation and alignment with these agreements.
Effects on the environment
In accordance with the Cabinet Directive on Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment, a Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment was completed for the CMP, which includes orders amending the DSL to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances. The assessment concluded that the CMP is expected to have a positive impact on the environment and human health.
Gender-based analysis plus
Since orders amending the DSL to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances do not result in incremental impacts (benefits and costs), Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) does not apply.footnote 16
Implementation, compliance and enforcement, and service standards
Implementation
Orders amending the DSL are in force on the day that they are registered. Compliance promotion activities conducted as part of the implementation of those orders will include developing and distributing promotional material, responding to inquiries from stakeholders and undertaking activities to raise industry stakeholders’ awareness of the requirements in those orders in the event a substance subject to the SNAc provisions of CEPA is used in a significant new activity in Canada.
Compliance
When assessing whether or not a substance is subject to SNAc provisions of CEPA, a person (individual or corporation) is expected to make use of information in their possession, or to which they may reasonably be expected to have access. This means information in any of the notifier’s offices worldwide, or other locations where the notifier can reasonably have access to the information. For example, manufacturers are expected to have access to their formulations, while importers or users of a substance, mixture, or product are expected to have access to import records, usage information, and the relevant Safety Data Sheet.footnote 17
Where a person involved in activities with a substance obtains information that reasonably supports the conclusion that that substance is toxic or is capable of becoming toxic, the person is obligated, under section 70 of CEPA, to provide that information to the Minister without delay.
Under section 87.1 of CEPA, any person who transfers the physical possession or control of a substance subject to an order to another should notify that person of their obligation to comply with that order, including the obligation to notify the Minister of any significant new activity and to provide all the required information specified in that order.
In cases where a person receives physical possession or control of a substance subject to the SNAc provisions of CEPA from another person, they may not be required to submit a SNAN, under certain conditions, if their activities were covered by an original SNAN submitted by the supplier on behalf of its clients.
A pre-notification consultation (PDF) (PNC) is available for notifiers who wish to consult during the planning or preparation of a SNAN to discuss any questions or concerns they have about the prescribed information and test plans. Where a person has questions concerning their obligations to comply with an order, believes they may be out of compliance, or would like to request a PNC, they are encouraged to contact the Substances Management Information Line.footnote 18
Enforcement
Orders amending the DSL to apply the SNAc provisions of CEPA to certain substances are enforced in accordance with the Compliance and Enforcement Policy for the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. In instances of non-compliance, deciding which enforcement measure to take will consider factors such as the nature of the alleged violation, effectiveness in achieving compliance with CEPA and its regulations, and consistency in the application of enforcement measures. Suspected violations under CEPA can be reported to the Enforcement Branch by email at enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca.
Service standards
In the event that a SNAN is submitted to the Minister in relation to AEEA, government officials will assess the information after the complete information is received, within the prescribed timelines set out in the Order.
Contacts
Joliane Lavigne
Acting Director
Regulatory Operations, Policy and Emerging Sciences Division
Department of the Environment
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0H3
Substances Management Information Line:
1‑800‑567‑1999 (toll-free in Canada)
819‑938‑3232 (outside of Canada)
Email: substances@ec.gc.ca
Andrew Beck
Director
Risk Management Bureau
Department of Health
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9
Telephone: 613‑266‑3591
Email: andrew.beck@hc-sc.gc.ca