Categorization
As in the United States and European countries, Canada screens all new chemical substances before allowing their manufacture or import. Canada has been doing this since 1994. However, many chemical substances were introduced prior to that time. Many of these older, or "existing substances," have not been examined by environmental and health scientists in government.
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) requires that all 23,000 existing substances be sorted or "categorized" to determine which need further attention.
In September 2006, Canada completed this scientific evaluation. The information is being used to focus on those chemical substances of highest priority.
On this page, you will find links to information on Canada's categorization of existing substances:
The Results of Categorization
 Categorization Search Tool
A searchable database of the chemical substances that met the criteria for categorization. There is also a list of additional substances that did not meet the strict criteria of the categorization exercise, but do require further attention from a human health perspective (source: Environment Canada).
Health Components
This page contains technical information on the health criteria used for categorization (source: Health Canada).
Fact Sheets on Categorization
These fact sheets provide general information on various aspects of categorization under CEPA 1999.
Assessing Chemicals in Canada for Risk: Protecting the Health of Canadians and their Environment
A brochure providing background on the Government of Canada's approach for categorizing, assessing and managing the risks to human health and the environment from existing substances in Canada (source: Health Canada).
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Assessment of Existing Substances
A set of explanations for many of the terms and concepts used when discussing the categorization of existing substances (source: Environment Canada).
Assessing and Managing the Health Risks of Existing Substances under the Renewed Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
A fact sheet from the It's Your Health series describing categorization and the factors used to ensure the best protection for human health (source: Health Canada).
Program Sites and Publications
The following links go to information (some technical), published by key groups involved categorization under CEPA 1999.
Human Health Risk Assessments for Existing Substances Program
The program responsible for categorization, screening assessments and priority substances assessments for human health under CEPA 1999 (source: Health Canada).
Environmental Risk Assessments for Existing Substances Program
The program responsible for categorization and assessing environmental risks under CEPA 1999 (source: Environment Canada).
Health Reports and Publications on Existing Substances
A collection of links to technical documentation and guidance manuals developed and used to complete categorization from a human health perspective (source: Health Canada).
Environment Reports and Publications on Existing Substances
A collection of links to technical documentation and guidance manuals developed and used to complete categorization from an environmental perspective (source: Environment Canada).
Existing Substances Lists
The Government of Canada provides searchable or downloadable lists of existing chemical substances in Canada and around the world. Chemical substances are listed by their Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) numbers, the common international method for indexing chemical substances (source: Environment Canada).
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