Backgrounder - Batch 6 Substances

News Release

One of the 18 substances assessed in Batch 6 is proposed to be harmful to human health (benzyl chloride) and one is proposed to be harmful to the environment (DHNUP) under section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) , 1999. Therefore, the Ministers of Health and Environment will recommend adding these two substances to Schedule 1 of CEPA, 1999. Risk management activities being explored to control these substances will be published on the Government's chemicals management website on May 29, 2009.

Current information indicates that the remaining 16 substances do not pose a risk to human health or the environment. Significant New Activity (SNAc) provisions are being proposed for two of these substances (3-chloropropene, DMEP) so that they cannot be used in the future without undergoing a new series of human health and ecological assessments, ensuring levels of exposure remain low.

Information on the two specific substances proposed harmful to human health or the environment is provided below.

The complete draft screening assessments as well as risk management scope documents for all Batch 6 substances can be found on the Chemicals Management Plan website.

Benzyl Chloride

• Benzyl chloride is an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of quaternary ammonium compounds (quats).
• Quats are used at very low levels, in pesticides, household and personal care products, hard surface disinfectants, corrosion inhibitors and fungicides in industrial and institutional cleaners.
• Benzyl chloride can also be used in the manufacture of benzyl alcohol and benzyl butyl phthalate.
• Benzyl alcohol is used in pharmaceuticals, in cosmetic formulations, in flavour products, solvent and textile dye.
• Benzyl butyl phthalate is used as a plasticizer in vinyl flooring and other flexible polyvinyl chloride such as food packaging.
• Based on the most recent data, benzyl chloride is not manufactured in Canada but is imported into Canada.
• Benzyl chloride was considered a high priority for further investigation based on its classification by international organizations as a substance that was found to cause cancer in some studies with laboratory animals, and its high potential for exposure to Canadians.

DHNUP

• DHNUP is an industrial chemical that belongs to a family of chemicals called phthalates.
• "Phthalates" refers to a family of chemicals commonly used in the making of plastics. There is concern in the scientific community that exposure to some types of phthalates may pose a risk to young children.
• The primary use of DHNUP is as a plasticizer for electrical and communication wire insulation.
• DHNUP was considered a high priority for further investigation based on its classification by international organizations as a substance that may that may cause developmental and reproductive toxicity and its potential for exposure to Canadians.
• Production of DHNUP appears to be phased-out in Canada since 2006, and annual imports of DHNUP are estimated to have declined by over 95 per cent since 2006, therefore Canadians' exposure is expected to be very low.
• DHNUP may be entering the environment through cleaning of containers storing the substance such as shipping containers.