New Chemical Substances

The New Chemical Substances Sections of the New Substances Assessment and Control Bureau are responsible for the pre-manufacture or pre-import assessment of the potential health risks to the general population associated with approximately 1,000 new chemicals and polymers such as fabric dyes and fuel additive components, that manufacturers and importers wish to introduce into the marketplace each year. This work is carried out according to the Guidelines for the Notification and Testing of New Substances so as to ensure that no new chemical is introduced into Canada on a commercial scale before it has been reviewed to determine the potential risks to human health and the environment. Some substances are reviewed at the research and development stage. The legal responsibility of importers and manufacturers to notify new substances is set out in the New Substances Notification Regulations (NSNR) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) . This proactive approach to managing the potential risks of new substances is one of the key objectives of CEPA. If a risk is identified, measures are taken to reduce the risk by controlling or even banning the substance or product.

For more information on the notification and assessment of new chemicals under CEPA 1999, please consult the New Substances Program jointly administered by Environment Canada and Health Canada.