As we mentioned in Health Canada Cracking Down on Non Compliant Labels and in CCCR Recalls Continue a number of products have been recalled for non-compliance with CCCR-2001 and the cosmetics regulations.  Recently two more products, both packaged in “pressurized containers” have been recalled, both for “lack[ing] the symbol and warnings required for potentially flammable and explosive products. The lack of labelling information including appropriate warnings could potentially result in misuse of this product and lead to serious injury.”

The products are:

• A tanning mist
• A hair spray

The full set of recalls - available here.

Another item of interest in the Canada Gazette:

Whereas the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health have assessed information pertaining to the substance Butanamide,
3-oxo-, Chemical Abstracts Service No. 5977-14-0;

And whereas the Ministers suspect that the substance is toxic;

The Minister of the Environment, pursuant to paragraph 84(1)(a) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, hereby permits the manufacture or import of the substance in accordance with the conditions of the following annex.

Click on the above link for more information.

From the Canada Gazette:

Provision currently exists in the Food and Drug Regulations for the use of allura red, sunset yellow FCF and tartrazine as colouring agents in a variety of food products, including fish roe (caviar) at a maximum level of use of 300 ppm, singly or in combination. Brilliant blue FCF is permitted as a colouring agent in various foods, including fish roe (caviar) at a maximum level of use of 100 ppm, singly or in combination with fast green FCF.

Health Canada has received a submission to permit the use of a blend of allura red, brilliant blue FCF, sunset yellow FCF and tartrazine as colouring agents in lumpfish caviar at a level of 800 ppm. The maximum level of use for allura red, sunset yellow FCF and tartrazine, singly or in combination, would be 550 ppm and the maximum level of use for brilliant blue FCF would be 300 ppm. Evaluation of available data supports the safety and effectiveness of allura red, brilliant blue FCF, sunset yellow FCF and tartrazine as colouring agents in the production of lumpfish caviar.

The use of allura red, brilliant blue FCF, sunset yellow FCF and tartrazine will benefit consumers by increasing the availability of quality food products. It will also benefit industry through more efficient and improved manufacturing conditions.

Therefore, it is the intention of Health Canada to recommend that the Food and Drug Regulations be amended to permit the use of allura red, sunset yellow FCF and tartrazine as colouring agents in the production of lumpfish caviar, singly or in combination, at a maximum level of use of 550 ppm, and to permit the use of brilliant blue FCF as a colouring agent in the production of lumpfish caviar at a maximum level of use of 300 ppm with a total level of the four colours not to exceed 800 ppm.

Click on the above link for more information.

An annoucement from Health Canada:

The Licensed Natural Health Products Database will allow Canadians to quickly and easily search for more detailed information on natural health products that have been authorized for sale in Canada…

Canadians will be able to use the database to search for information on approved natural health products including authorized health claims and recommended uses, risk information such as warnings and cautions, and medicinal ingredients associated with the product. It will be updated regularly as more products are licensed.

The database will also help practitioners, pharmacists and Canadians determine which products have been assessed by Health Canada and have found to be safe, effective and of high quality under their recommended conditions of use.

Canadians are also reminded that natural health products that have been authorized for sale are issued a Natural Health Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM), which appears on the product’s packaging.

The Licensed Natural Health Products Database is available on the Health Canada Web site.

Click on the above link for more information or go directly to the database.

From Canada’s Natural Health Products Directorate - four monographs:

• New Monograph - Creatine Monohydrate
• Updated Monograph - Iron
• Updated Monograph - Glucosamine
• Information Update on the Product Resolve

Click on the links for more information.

From Health Canada:

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, today announced increased protection for Canadians with food allergies by introducing new labelling requirements for food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites contained in prepackaged foods…

The current Food and Drug Regulations require that ingredients of food products be declared on the labels of most prepackaged foods. However, components of certain ingredients are exempted from declaration in the list of ingredients…

The improved regulations would require that manufacturers declare all food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites on labels of prepackaged foods. The regulations would also detail exactly how these allergens, glutens and sulphites are to be listed on food labels.

Click on the above link for more information.

Five new monographs have appeared in July. From Drugs and Health Products:

• Updated Monograph - Echinacea pallida
• Updated Monograph - Echinacea purpurea
• Updated Monograph - MSM
• Updated Monograph - Evening Primrose Oil
• Updated Monograph - Chondroitin Sulfate

We have been telling everyone that would listen that we expected to see a rise in Health Canada actions against non-compliant products. Our predictions appear to have been correct - in July there have already been 3 product recalls of consumer chemical products due to incorrect hazard labelling and packaging. In the 6 prior months of 2008, there were exactly 2. The full list of product recalls is available here. The product types were as follows:

• July 2008 - Spray on Foundation - Label lacked necessary hazard symbols and text
• July 2008 - 6 Liquid Dish Soaps - Labels lacked necessary warning symbols and text
• July 2008 - Aerosol Hair Product - Label lacked necessary warning label
• May 2008 - 7 Home Fragrances - Label lacked necessary warning label
• April 2008 - Fabric Cleaner - Container lacked child safety cap

If you are have any doubts about the compliancy of your chemical products, please do not hesitate to contact us. More information about our label review services can be found here:

• Canadian Consumer Label Review
• Canadian Industrial Label Review
• Canadian Cosmetic Product Label Review

We can be contacted at:

Nexreg Toll Free: 1-866-361-3032
E-mail:info@nexreg.com

We were browsing through Canada’s Consumer Products Recall list and were struck by the diversity of products being recalled due to excessive lead content.  By our count, 27 products have been recalled in 2008:

• July 2008: Craft kits
• July 2008: Chalk facial mask
• July 2008: Bracelets, Necklaces and Phone Charms
• July 2008: Necklaces and Shoe Charms
• June 2008: School Magnets
• June 2008: Pyjama Sets
• May 2008: Sleeping Bags
• May 2008: Toy wand
• May 2008: Shaker Instrument
• May 2008: Jewellery and Purses
• May 2008: Children’s Storage Bins
• May 2008: Lapel Pins
• April 2008: Fake Teeth
• April 2008: Toy Puzzle
• April 2008: Writing Pens
• April 2008: Metal water bottles
• April 2008: Locks
• March 2008: Bicycles
• March 2008: Wire Bound Journals
• March 2008: Patio Sets
• March 2008: Metal Jewellery
• February 2008: Bracelet Sets
• February 2008: Push-Pin Badges
• February 2008: Sketchbooks
• February 2008: Shoes and Sunglasses
• January 2008: Infant Sleeper and Bootie Sets
• January 2008: Lamps

From the CBC:

The federal government said Tuesday its new Product of Canada regulations will roll out for goods produced after Dec. 31…

Prime Minister Stephen Harper in May announced new guidelines regulating the use of the Product of Canada label. Under current Canadian law, if 51 per cent of the production costs were incurred in Canada and the last substantial transformation of the product occurred in Canada, it is legal to use those labels.

The revised guidelines require that all major ingredients and labour used to make the product come from Canada.

Harper said under the new guidelines, if a product is to be marketed as made in Canada, the product must be manufactured or processed in Canada.

Products may contain non-Canadian contents but must indicate it contains imported ingredients or materials.

Click on the above link for more information.