Canada imposes new reporting requirements for nanoscale substances.

Canada’s Minister of the Environment is requiring manufacturers and importers of certain nanoscale substances to report information for “the development of a list of nanomaterials in commerce in Canada and subsequent prioritization activities for these substances, which may include risk assessment and risk management activities.”

A notice published in the Canada Gazette on July 25 lists 206 substances by CAS number. A listed substance is reportable if it “has a size of between 1 and 100 nanometres in at least one external dimension, or internal or surface structure.” The Minister of Environment intends to use the reported data to assess whether the listed substances “are toxic or are capable of becoming toxic,” or to assess whether and how to control the substances.

The reporting requirements apply to any person who manufactured or imported more than 100 kg of a listed nanoscale substance in calendar year 2014, including imports of substances in mixtures and products, at any concentration. However, the notice does not apply to listed nanoscale substances that are in transit through Canada, are naturally occurring, were incidentally produced, or are covered by various other laws, such as the Fertilizers Act or Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations.

Reportable information includes total quantities manufactured or imported, end uses (commercial, consumer, or use by children under 14 years of age) and studies or data on physical-chemical properties, bioaccumulation, persistence, toxicity, metabolism, degradation, and release or disposal from the final mixture or product. The reporting deadline is February 23, 2016.