In order to ensure safety of hair dye products for consumers the European Commission has banned 22 hair dye substances today. Today’s ban concerns 22 hair dye substances for which industry has not submitted any safety files at all. The Scientific Committee advising the Commission had recommended the ban of these substances following the conclusions of a scientific study that the long term use of certain hair dyes bears a potential risk of bladder cancer.

The following substances will be banned:

Chemical name

6-Methoxy-2,3-Pyridinediamine and its HCl salt
2,3-Naphthalenediol
2,4-Diaminodiphenylamine
2,6-Bis(2-Hydroxyethoxy)-3,5-Pyridinediamine
2-Methoxymethyl-p-Aminophenol
4,5-Diamino-1-Methylpyrazole and its HCl salt
4,5-Diamino-1-((4-Chlorophenyl)Methyl)-1H-Pyrazole Sulfate
4-Chloro-2-Aminophenol
4-Hydroxyindole
4-Methoxytoluene-2,5-Diamine and its HCl salt
5-Amino-4-Fluoro-2-Methylphenol Sulfate
N,N-Diethyl-m-Aminophenol
N,N-Dimethyl-2,6-Pyridinediamine and its HCl salt
N-Cyclopentyl-m-Aminophenol
N-(2-Methoxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine and its HCl salt
2,4-Diamino-5-methylphenetol and its HCl salt
1,7-Naphthalenediol
3,4-Diaminobenzoic acid
2-Aminomethyl-p-aminophenol and its HCl salt
Solvent Red 1 (CI 12150)
Acid Orange 24 (CI 20170)
Acid Red 73 (CI 27290)

To view the entire article please visit: European Commission bans 22 hair dye substances to increase consumer safety

Canada Gazette II – Vol. 140, No. 15 – July 26, 2006

Whereas the Minister of the Environment has been provided with information under either paragraph 87(1)(a) or (5)(a) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 in respect of each substance referred to in the annexed Order;

Whereas, in respect of the substances being added to the Domestic Substances List pursuant to subsection 87(1) of that Act, the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health are satisfied that those substances have been manufactured in or imported into Canada in excess of the quantity prescribed under the New Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers) by the person who provided the information;

Whereas the period for assessing the information under section 83 of that Act has expired;

And whereas no conditions under paragraph 84(1)(a) of that Act in respect of the substances are in effect;

Therefore, the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to subsections 87(1), (3) and (5) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 hereby makes the annexed Order 2006-87-05-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List.

To view the amendments under this order, published in the Canada Gazette, please visit: Order 2006-87-05-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List

Significant New Activity Notice No. 14 276 in respect of the substance Perfluoroalkylhydroxyaminoazetidinium polymer, published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on July 22, 2006.

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

Significant New Activity Notice No. 14276

Significant New Activity Notice

(Section 85 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999)

Whereas the Ministers of the Environment and of Health have assessed information in respect of the substance Perfluoroalkylhydroxyaminoazetidinium polymer;

Whereas the substance is not on the Domestic Substances List;

And whereas the Ministers suspect that a significant new activity in relation to the substance may result in the substance becoming toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999;

Therefore, the Minister of the Environment indicates, pursuant to section 85 of that Act, that subsection 81(4) of the same Act applies with respect to the substance.

A significant new activity involving the substance is

(1) manufacturing it in Canada; or

(2) importing it for any purpose other than using it as an oil-sizing agent or as a component of water and oil repellents applied in industrial applications or in an industrial setting by an industrial process.

A person that proposes a significant new activity set out in this notice for this substance shall provide to the Minister of the Environment, at least 90 days prior to the commencement of the proposed significant new activity, the following information:

(1) A description of the proposed significant new activity in relation to the substance;

(2) All information prescribed by Schedule 10 of the New Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers);

(3) A 90-day inhalation study in rat with the perfluorohexanoic acid for applications involving spraying by consumers or in-home use by professionals; and

(4) Any relevant information (toxicological, exposure, etc.) that may be reasonably obtained from the company or its branch offices worldwide.

The above information will be assessed within 90 days of its being provided to the Minister of the Environment.

To see the full article, published in the Canada Gazette, please visit:

Significant New Activity Notice of the Substance Perfluoroalkylhydroxyaminoazetidinium polymer

Canada Gazette I Vol. 140, No. 29 — July 22, 2006

1. Part I of the Non-Domestic Substances List is amended by deleting the following:

75-10-5

58111-07-2

68239-00-9

189020-70-0

265110-70-1

2. Part II of the List is amended by deleting the following:

15689-2 Alkyl carbomonocycle diisocyanate with alkanepolyol polyacrylate, polymer of urethane acrylate

Alkyl carbomonocycle diisocyanate avec un polyacrylate d’alcanepolyol, polymère d’un acrylate d’uréthanne

COMING INTO FORCE

3. This Order comes into force on the day on which Order 2006-87-05-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List comes into force.

To see the full article, published in the Canada Gazette, please visit:
Order 2006-87-05-02 Amending The Non-Domestic Substances List.

Health Canada has a number of warnings for consumers which they’ve released recently:

Zhuifeng Tougu Wan – Traditional Chinese medicine (intended use unknown) that contains toxic levels of mercury.

Fufang LuHui Jiaonang – Traditional Chinese medicine (intended use unknown) that contains toxic levels of mercury.

Safi – Marketed as a blood purifier, but may also be marketed to treat skin conditions such as acne, boils, rashes, blemishes and hives. Contains toxic levels of arsenic.

Baike Wan – Marketed as an herbal product for relief of muscle and joint pain, but contains the prescription drugs piroxicam and frusemide, and the over-the-counter drug chlorpheniramine

Xin Yan Zi Pai Mei Zi Jiao Nang – Fat Rapid Loss Capsules are marketed as a weight loss product. The capsules are dark blue in colour and contained in silver and blue blister packs.

For more information: Health Canada.

The following chemicals have been determined by OEHHA to meet the criteria set forth in Title 22, Cal. Code of Regs., section 12306 for listing as causing cancer under the authoritative bodies mechanism:

Anthraquinone      84-65-1      NTP (2005)

REFERENCE
National Toxicology Program (NTP, 2005). Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Anthraquinone (CAS No. 84-65-1) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Feed Studies). NTP Technical Report Series No. 494. NIH Publication No. 05-3953. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, NTP, Research Triangle Park, NC.

See the full release: Notice of Intent to List Chemicals: Anthraquinon.

The Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) has established some additional quality control requirements regarding Gelatin in Natural Health Products.

The gelatin used in formulating or encapsulating natural health products may be made from a variety of animal materials. Those products that have been licensed for sale by Health Canada are safe, but in order to further enhance the continued safety and quality of those products which contain gelatin made from the bones of the following animals : cattle, sheep, goat, deer, and elk, which are susceptible to Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) diseases such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease), the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) has established some additional quality control requirements.

The NHPD will be sending notices to licensees of approved natural health products as well as applicants of products currently under licensing review asking them either to replace their gelatin with materials that are not susceptible to containing the causative agent of a TSE or to provide documentation demonstrating that appropriate quality control measures have been undertaken. Further details are provided below.

Affected licensees and applicants are advised to carefully read and comply with the instructions and requirements outlined below. Licensees that cannot adequately demonstrate that their gelatin meets these requirements will be subject to compliance action. Those individuals receiving notices from the NHPD are asked to comply with the request within the indicated timeframe.

To view the entire notice, please visit Health Canada’s Natural Health Products Directorate: Important Notice: Revised Policy Regarding Gelatin in Natural Health Products.

New Pest Control Products Act comes into force on June 28th, 2006

The New Pest Control Products Act, published in 2002 by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), received Royal Assent on December 12, 2002, and comes into force on June 28th, 2006.

To view the new regulations visit: New Pest Control Products Act.

To view the order bringing the new regulations into force visit: Order Bringing the New Pest Control Products Act into Force.

Canada Gazette I – Vol. 140, No. 24 — June 17, 2006

1. Section 4 of the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2005 is renumbered as

subsection 4(1) and is amended by adding the following:

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a product that is a manufactured item that is formed into a specific
physical shape or design during manufacture and that has, for its final use, a function or functions dependent in whole or in part on its shape or design, if a toxic substance set out in Part 2 of Schedule 1 is present in that manufactured item.

2. (1) Schedule 1 to the Regulations is amended by adding the following after the heading

“SCHEDULE 1 /(Sections 1 to 4 and 6)”:

PART 1

(2) Schedule 1 to the Regulations is amended by adding the following after Part 1:

PART 2

PROHIBITED TOXIC SUBSTANCES UNLESS PRESENT IN MANUFACTURED ITEMS

Toxic Substances 1.) Hexane, 1,6-diisocyanato-, homopolymer, reaction products with alpha-fluoro-omega-2-hydroxyethyl-poly(difluoromethylene), C16-20-branched alcohols and 1-ctadecanol 2.) 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, hexadecyl ester, polymers with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, gamma-omega-perfluoro-C10-16-alkyl acrylate and stearyl methacrylate 3.) 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methylpropyl ester, polymer with butyl 2-propenoate and 2,5 furandione, gamma-omega-perfluoro-C8-14 alkyl esters, tert-Bu benzenecarboperoxoate-initiated 4.) 2-propen-1-ol, reaction products with pentafluoroiodoethane tetrafluoroethylene telomer, dehydroiodinated, reaction products with epichlorohydrin and triethylenetetramine

COMING INTO FORCE

3. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

To see the full article, published in the Canada Gazette, please visit: REGULATIONS AMENDING THE PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN TOXIC SUBSTANCES REGULATIONS, 2005 (FOUR NEW FLUOROTELOMER-BASED SUBSTANCES).

Canada Gazette II – Vol. 140, No. 13 — June 28, 2006

1. (1) Part 1 of the Domestic Substances List is amended by deleting the following:

68784-55-4 T

(2) Part 1 of the List is amended by adding the following in numerical order:

38639-64-4 N-P68908-97-4 N 84776-83-0 N 111940-18-2 N-P 126213-32-9 N-P

133842-99-6 N-P158061-44-0 N-P 178671-58-4 N 185969-42-0 N-P 204848-45-3 N

446824-06-2 N512802-69-6 N-P 545386-98-9 T 552307-52-5 N-P 853944-67-9 N-P

2. (1) Part 3 of the List is amended by deleting the following:

16238-2 N-P

Fatty acid, C18-unsatd., dimers, polymer with aromatic diol, dialkyl alkyldiol, epichlorohydrin, alkyl diol, alkyl diol, bicycloalkenyl anhydride and cycloaromatic anhydride, compds. with 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol

To see the full article, published in the Canada Gazette, please visit: Order 2006-87-04-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List.