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New compliance guide – Certain Products Containing Toxic Substances Regulations

If you manufacture, import or sell certain sealant products or certain products that contain 2‑butoxyethanol (2‑BE), Environment and Climate Change Canada wants you to be aware of new regulations that may apply to you, and to inform you of resources, including a compliance guide, that can help you understand and comply with its requirements.

 THE Certain Products Containing Toxic Substances Regulations

 The Certain Products Containing Toxic Substances Regulations (the Regulations)were published on March 12, 2025. They prohibit the manufacture, import and sale in Canada of certain products that contain toxic substances, and in some cases, specify concentration limits that must not be exceeded. The objective of these Regulations is to protect the environment and human health in Canada. As of December 31, 2025, most prohibitions and regulatory requirements under the Regulations have come into force, except where exemptions may apply.

 Note that some of these regulated products containing 2-BE were previously managed under the 2-Butoxyethanol Regulations, which have now been repealed and integrated into the Regulations. There are no major changes in requirements for these products.

 Regulated Products, applicable Limits and Coming-Into-Force Dates

 Currently, the Regulations target the following types of products containing toxic substances: 

  1. Certain sealant products containing coal tars and their distillates;
  2. Certain sealant products containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH);
  3. Certain products containing 2-BE.

 The table below contains a list of the regulated products, their limits and their coming-into-force dates.

 

Product Type

Regulated Products

Limits on Substances in Products

Coming-into-Force Dates

Sealant products containing coal tars and their distillatesPaving sealant products

No allowable concentration of coal tars and
their distillates

Manufacture

October 1, 2025

 

Import

October 1, 2025

 

Sale

December 31, 2025

Roofing sealant products
Sealant products for industrial use on metal, structural steel or concrete components or on pipelines or other buried services
Sealant products containing 
PAHs
Paving sealant products

Concentration limit 
of PAHs:

1,000 ppm

Manufacture

October 1, 2025

 

Import

October 1, 2025

 

Sale

December 31, 2025

Roofing sealant products
Products containing 
2-BE
 

Concentration limits of 2-BE:

Manufacture,

import and sale

Concentration limits

are already in effect

Automobile cleaner other than automobile degreaser

or internal engine cleaner

10.0 % w/w

Rug or carpet cleaner

10.0 % w/w

Floor or baseboard stripper

2.0 % w/w

Paint stripper or thinner

0.5 % w/w

Laundry stain remover

22.0 % w/w

Any other aerosol cleaner

that is not a pump-spray

5.0 % w/w

Any other aerosol cleaner

6.0 % w/w

Aerosol paint or coating

other than a pump-spray

0.1 % w/w

Non-aerosol paint or coating

0.5 % w/w

ppm: parts per million

% w/w: percent weight in weight or weight percentage

 

MEASURES YOU CAN TAKE TO VERIFY THAT YOUR PRODUCTS COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS

 

As a manufacturer, importer or seller, you must comply with all requirements of the Regulations. Here are some examples of measures you can take to ensure compliance:

 Familiarize yourself with the products, the substances and the requirements (including the limits on substances in products) that are specified in the Regulations.

  • Specify in your contracting documents that products must respect all regulatory requirements.
  • Ask your suppliers for certification that products respect all regulatory requirements.
  • Consider having your products tested if you are unsure they meet regulatory requirements.

 To learn more about the Regulations

 Consult our webpage for an overview of the Regulations and access to helpful resources.

 You can also click  here to consult the compliance guide. This guide provides additional information on the Regulations and includes simple tools to help determine whether a product is regulated and, if so, which requirements apply.

 Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

 

Sincerely,

 Luke Greco

Compliance Promotion Officer, Environmental Protection Operations Directorate, Ontario Region

Environment and Climate Change Canada / Government of Canada
[email protected] 

 

Environment and Climate Change Canada enforces the Regulations and takes actions to deal with alleged violations in accordance with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act: compliance and enforcement policy.

 This information does not in any way supersede or modify the Certain Products Containing Toxic Substances Regulations, or offer any legal interpretation of the Regulations. Where there are any inconsistencies between this information and the Regulations, the Regulations take precedence. Consult the Regulations on Justice Canada’s website: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2025-36/

 

Topic(s)

Other Government Departments (OGDs) Requirements

Information source

Other Government Departments (OGDs)
Disclaimer

The foregoing information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered, professional advice or a substitute for conducting your own thorough research and review. Before making any decisions or taking any action based on the information provided, you should conduct your own independent investigation and/or seek professional advice from a qualified expert in the relevant field. The CSCB disclaims all liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided.