Banned Consumer Chemicals

Act: Hazardous Products Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. H-3
Regulation: Ban of various consumer chemicals; Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, SOR/2001-269

To Whom Does This Apply?

Manufacturers, importers, and retailers of consumer chemical products.

Summary

The purpose of the Hazardous Products Act is to protect the health and safety of consumers by prohibiting or regulating the sale, advertising or importation of hazardous or potentially hazardous consumer products, and to ensure the protection of Canadian workers and employers from the adverse effects of hazardous materials through the provision of precautionary labelling and material safety data sheets.

Products affected

Consumer chemical products and containers classified as very toxic, very corrosive or very flammable.

Products exempted

These Regulations do not apply to:

• chemical products used exclusively in the workplace;
• cosmetics;
• drugs;
• explosives;
• foods;
• medical devices;
• nuclear substances;
• pest control products;
• lighters;
• portable petroleum containers that conform with applicable CSA* standards; and
• portable fire extinguishers that conform with applicable standards.

The following products are not prohibited, but are subject to labelling and packaging restrictions under the CCCR-2001:

• glass etchant pastes or gels containing available fluoride ions;
• flammable fuels such as gasoline, ethanol or propane;
• spray products that exhibit a flashback.

Requirements

Prohibited to advertise, sell or import as a consumer product.

Pre-market approval

Not required since the products are prohibited.

Further information

For more information, please contact your regional Consumer Product Safety Bureau of Health Canada.

*CSA: Canadian Standards Association.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this section is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. For particular questions, the users are invited to contact their lawyer. For additional information, see contact(s) listed below.

Quebec Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
National Consumer Product Safety Office
Product Safety Programme
Health Canada
123 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0K9
Telephone: 613-952-1014
Toll-free (information): 1-866-662-0666 (will be routed to closest office)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-267-1245
E-mail: CPS-SPC@hc-sc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html