. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/238 
7 May 2008 
 (08-2171) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Department of the Environment 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   Canadian Enquiry 
Point, 200-270 Albert Street, Ottawa, Onta rio, Canada, K1P 6N7 Tel.:  +1 613 238 3222, 
Fax.: +1 613 569 7808, E-mail: enquirypoint@scc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [ X  ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Personal care, 
automotive and household maintenance products , adhesives, adhesive removers, sealants 
and caulking, other miscellaneous products (ICS: 43.020, 67.020, 67.200, 71.100, 83.180, 87.040, 97.020) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Volatile 
Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits  for Certain Products Regulations (46 
pages, in English and French) 
6. Description of content:   The purpose of the proposed Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) 
Concentration Limits for Certain Products Regulations  (the proposed Regulations), to be 
made pursuant to subsection 93(1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999  
(CEPA 1999), is to protect the environment and health of Canadians by setting concentration limits for VOCs in 98 categories of certain products.   The proposed VOC concentration limits would apply to certain products that are comprised 
of chemically formulated products including personal care, automotive and household 
maintenance products, adhesives, adhesive removers, sealants a nd caulking and other 
miscellaneous products (hereinafter collectivel y referred to as consumer products). These 
consumer products are used by household, institutional, and commercial consumers and 
contribute to Canadian urban VOC emissions. 
 
In 2005, the urban VOC emissions (excluding  emissions from upstream oil and gas, oil 
sands development and forest fires) in Cana da were estimated to be 1 383 kilotonnes. 
Solvent use accounted for 25% of these emissi ons, with consumer pr oducts accounting for 
35.8 kilotonnes. The proposed VOC concentr ation limits are expected to reduce VOC 
emissions from these products by an average of 33% per year over 25 years.  G/TBT/N/CAN/238 
Page 2  
 
  The proposed VOC concentration limits are ali gned with the provisions of the California 
Air Resources Board (CARB) CONS-1 rule, with  some differences to ensure that maximum 
reductions in VOC emissions in Canada ar e effectively and efficiently achieved. 
 
Prohibition  
 
The proposed Regulations would prohibit the manufacture, offer for sale, sale or import of consumer products for use in Canada with c oncentrations of VOC in excess of the category-
specific limits set out in the schedule to the proposed Regulations.  Other provisions   
The proposed Regulations also include provisions  defining methods for the determination of 
VOC concentrations and other test methods, labelling requirements and record keeping. 
These provisions are included to facilitate th e operation and enforcement of the proposed 
Regulations. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of the environment and human health 
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette,  Part I, 26 April 2008, Pages 1326-1371 (available in 
English and French). 
In October 2006, the Government of Canada published the Notice of intent to develop and 
implement regulations and other measures to reduce air emissions (the notice of intent) 
(notified as G/TBT/N/CAN/181). The notice of intent outlined the approach that would be taken for reducing emissions of air pollutants, including  a commitment to propose 
regulations that would limit the concen tration of VOCs in consumer products. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
 
Proposed date of entry into force:    Normally within 18 months of publication in 
the Canada Gazette , Part I. 
The proposed Regulations come into force one 
year after the day on which they are adopted for the manufacture and import of these products. Provisions applied to the sale and offer for sale of consumer products come into 
force two years after the day on which the 
proposed Regulations are adopted. 
10. Final date for comments:   25 June 2008 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
The electronic version of the regulator y text can be downloaded at:   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2008/20080426/pdf/g1-14217.pdf (Canada Gazette ) 
or  http://canadagazette.gc.ca/pa rtI/2008/20080426/htm l/regle3-e.html
   (English)   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2008/20080426/html/regle3-f.html  (French)