. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/165 
7 July 2006 
 (06-3291) 
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 Environm ent and Department of Health 
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,  Ontario,  
Canada, K1P 6N7  
 Tel.:  +1 613 238 3222,  Fax.: +1 613 569 7808,  E-mail: info@scc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 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):   Toxic substances   
(ICS:  13.020) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Order 
Adding Toxic Substances to Schedule 1 to th e Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 
1999 (pages 1939-1944; English and French). 
6. Description of content:   The purpose of this initiative is to propose the addition of 
polybrominated diphenyl ethers to Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection 
Act, 1999  (CEPA 1999). 
 
Seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) we re identified in a pilot project list of 123 
substances for screening assessment under CEPA  1999, on the basis of their potential 
persistence and/or bioaccumulation in the envi ronment and inherent toxicity to non-human 
organisms.  The seven PBDE homologues incl ude tetra–, penta–, hexa–, hepta–, octa–, 
nona– and decaBDE.  G/TBT/N/CAN/165 
Page 2  
 
  PBDEs are not manufactured in Canada but are imported in finished articles, or are used in 
making a variety of commercial and consum er products, such as computer housings, 
household appliances, furniture, automotive/aircra ft seating and interiors, and a variety of 
electrical and electronic components.  Releases of PBDEs to the environment can occur during manufacturing and processing operations , throughout the service life of articles 
containing PBDEs, and when articles that contain PBDEs are disposed of. 
 
A scientific assessment conducted indicates that these substances are entering the 
environment in a quantity or concentration or  under conditions that c onstitute or may have 
an immediate or long-term harmful effect on th e environment or its biological diversity and 
thus satisfy the criterion set out under paragraph 64( a) of CEPA 1999.  Therefore, these 
substances are proposed for addition to Schedul e 1 of CEPA 1999.  The available data 
regarding persistence and bioaccumulation fo r tetraBDE, pentaBDE and hexaBDE indicate 
that they satisfy the criteria outlined in the Persistence and Bioaccumulation Regulations  of 
CEPA 1999.  It is proposed that tetraBDE, pe ntaBDE, and hexaBDE be added to the Virtual 
Elimination List under CEPA 1999. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human health and the environment 
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part I, 1 July 2006 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    Not stated 
On the date the measure is adopted 
10. Final date for comments:   30 August 2006 
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 regulatory text can be downloaded at:  
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2006/20060701/pdf/g1-14026.pdf