Canada Adds Talc To CEPA’s Toxic-Substances Schedule

Canada has added talc to Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, known as CEPA. Order SOR/2026-222 was registered and entered into force on 23 October 2026. It was published in the Canada Gazette on 4 November.

The order lists talc as item 139. The accompanying regulatory analysis says the listing does not itself impose regulatory requirements on businesses. It enables ministers to develop risk-management instruments under CEPA.

Listing And Product Controls Are Different Steps

Part 2 requires ministers to prioritise pollution prevention when managing risks. Depending on the measure, that can include prohibitions. The listing itself does not ban all talc uses or set a product-reformulation deadline.

The regulatory analysis says any subsequent CEPA risk-management proposals would undergo further consultation. It also explains that listing a substance does not mean preventive or control measures will cover every use.

Assessment And Earlier Measures

The final screening assessment, published on 24 April 2021, concluded that talc met CEPA’s human-health criterion. The assessment identified concerns involving inhalation and genital exposure from certain self-care products. It did not conclude that talc met the Act’s environmental criteria.

A proposed listing order followed on 22 May 2021. CEPA amendments receiving royal assent on 13 June 2023 divided Schedule 1 into two parts; the final talc listing is in Part 2.

The Gazette also records earlier measures affecting self-care products. Health Canada changed the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist entry in May 2024 and the Natural Health Products Ingredients Database entry in June 2024. Those measures predate this listing order.