Environment and Climate Change Canada has finalized the State of PFAS report. The draft was originally released in May 2023 and they have been collecting comments and making revisions for the past two years. Based on the final report’s findings, the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Health are proposing the addition of PFAS as a class to Schedule 1 Part 2 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
The report concludes that the class of PFAS, excluding fluoropolymers as defined in the report, is toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). Based on the information they have collected, the report concludes that PFAS cause harm to both environment and biodiversity and human health or life.
Based on this conclusion, a first step proposal has been released to add the class of PFAS to Part 2 of Schedule 1. This addition would exclude fluoropolymers as the report stated that these substances have different hazard profiles and exposure. They would be added to Part 2 until further information is available for the most toxic ones are identified to be added in Part 1.
In addition, a proposed plan to address PFAS in phases has been outlined with firefighting foam being in phase 1 (consultation starting later this year) and consumer products where alternatives may already exist including textiles, ski waxes, building materials, and food packaging (consultation starting by early 2027). No formal regulations have been drafted to date, but this plan will be worked on over the next several years. Public consultation on this and other proposals in the Risk Management Approach is open until May 7, 2025.
There is also a plan to update the requirements for PFOA, PFOS, and long chain PFCAs (LC-PFCAs) that currently exist under the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012.
Additional actions will be taken in Canada related to pollution, water and the environment.
For more information, see link for full details:
- Government of Canada publishes State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Report and proposed Risk Management Approach
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2025/03/government-of-canada-publishes-state-of-per--and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas-report-and-proposed-risk-management-approach.html - Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 159, Number 10: Order Adding a Toxic Substance to Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2025/2025-03-08/html/reg2-eng.html
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