Assessment of Substances under CEPA 1999

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) respects pollution prevention and the protection of the environment and human health in order to contribute to sustainable development. Under CEPA 1999, the federal Ministers of the Environment and of Health are required to identify and determine which existing substances already in the environment pose a risk to human health or to the environment. (The Domestic Substances List (DSL), is the sole standard against which a substance is judged to be "new" to Canada.)

CEPA 1999 specifies a number of ways in which existing substances can be identified for assessment. These are:

• categorization of substances on the Domestic Substances List (Section 73);
• review of decisions of other jurisdictions (Section 75); and
• addition to the Priority Substances List (Section 76).

In determining whether a substance is "toxic" under CEPA 1999, the likelihood and magnitude of releases into the environment and the harm it may cause to human health or ecosystems are taken into account. CEPA 1999 provides the framework for the identification, prioritization and assessment of existing substances and for the control or management of those considered to pose a risk. This framework is broad, open, transparent and evidence-based.

Draft Assessments Currently Available

• The Notice of intent to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by Large Final Emitters
  (2005/07/15 - 2005/09/13 - Public comment period closed)
  Notice of Intent to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Large Final Emitters
  The Kyoto Protocol Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act: A synthesis of relevant science from the IPCC* Third Assessment Report in the context of CEPA Section 64.
  
  
• PSL1: Draft Follow-Up Report on the Assessment of Chlorinated Paraffins
  (2005/06/11 - 2005/08/10 - Public comment period closed)
  Synopsis of Draft Follow-up Report for the Environment (html or pdf)
  Draft PSL1 Follow-up Report on Chlorinated Paraffins. Government of Canada, Health Canada (2004)
  
  

[ Draft Assessments Archive ]

Final Assessments

• Ecological Screening Assessment Report on
  Perfluorooctane Sulfonate, Its Salts and Its Precursors that Contain the C₈F₁₇SO₂, C₈F₁₇SO₃ or C₈F₁₇SO₂N Moiety
  Environment Canada Ecological Screening Assessment Report (html or pdf)
  PFOS Health Canada Screening Assessment Report (199 KB pdf)
  
  
• Ecological Screening Assessment Report on
  Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
  Environment Canada Ecological Screening Assessment Report on Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (html or pdf)
  PBDE Health Canada Screening Assessment Report (222 KB pdf)
  
  

• Priority Substance Assessment

• The assessment of a substance found on the Second Priority Substances List (PSL2), namely "Releases of Radionuclides from nuclear facilities (impact on non-human biota)".

State of the Science Reports

• State of the Science Report Prepared for a Screening Health Assessment of an Existing Substance under CEPA