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Canada - Final Regulatory Action
Bromochlorodifluoromethane (Halon 1211) CAS number:
353-59-3
Date circular:
12/06/2001

Chemical name: Methane, bromochlorodifluoro-

Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Industrial

Final regulatory action: The chemical is Severely Restricted

Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action:

1)The Regulations prohibit the manufacture, use, sale or offer for sale, import or export of bulk virgin bromofluorocarbons, except for certain allowed uses described below.

2)The Regulations prohibit the import of recovered, recycled, reclaimed or used bromofluorocarbons, except for certain allowed uses described below.

3)The Regulations prohibit the manufacture and import of products that contain or is intended to contain any bromofluorocarbons, except for certain allowed uses described below

Use or uses that remain allowed:

1) The manufacture, sale, offer for sale, import or export of bulk virgin bromofluorocarbon are allowed for the following purposes:

(a) essential uses, which are to be identified at the international level on the basis of essential-use criteria adopted by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol. Canada considers these exemptions on a case-by-case basis;

(b) analytical standard.

2) The import of recovered, recycled, reclaimed or used bromofluorocarbon is allowed for an essential purpose.

3) The manufacture and import of products containing any bromofluorocarbon is allowed for:

(a) military ships before January 1, 2003;

(b) fire extinguishing equipment that contains or is intended to contain any bromofluorocarbon and that is to be used in aircraft or military ships or vehicles if the equipment is imported from a Party;

(c) a pest control product before January 1, 2000 provided that the product was registered under the Pest Control Products Act before January 1, 1999;

(d) aircraft, ships or any vehicle manufactured before January 1999;

(e) a product imported in a consignment of personal or household effects and intended for the importer's personal use only;

(f) a product that is an animal or human health care product, including any bronchial dilator, inhalable steroid, topical anaesthetic and veterinary powder wound spray.

(g) a product that is supplied in a container of 3L or less and that is to be used for an essential use that is a laboratory or analytical use.

4) The use, sale, offer for sale of domestic (i.e., not imported) recovered, recycled, reclaimed or used bromofluorocarbon for any purpose.

The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: Yes

Summary of the final regulatory action:

To prohibit the importation, formulation, manufacturing and final disposal in the national territory of the substances: polychlorinated biphenyls, pentachlorofenol, crocidolite, polybrominated biphenols, polychlorinated terphenyls and tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate on the basis that they cause environmental pollution and have toxic effects against human health. The sectional authorities and institutions for the appropriate chemical products management, in coordination with the Environmental Ministry, are in charge of the control of their areas of responsibility to ensure that the national regulations are enforced. They are also responsible for determining the procedures and establishing the terms for the definitive elimination of the prohibited substances.

The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Environment

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

Substance with an ozone-depleting potential of 3.0. Stratospheric ozone depletion leads to an increase in the intensity of UV-B rays that reach the earth's surface, where they can disrupt important biological processes and affect air quality

Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to the environment:

ODS emissions is relatively small (about 2% of total) and so is its short term contribution to global benefits. More substantial benefits come from the combined effects of party countries implementing the reduction and phase-out schedules. Computer models predict that maximum ozone layer depletion will be encountered around the year 2000. The impacts of the measures taken will then be felt to their fullest extent after 2000; the rate of ozone depletion should then diminish. It is estimated that , as a result of the measures adopted by the parties to the Montreal Protocol, the ozone layer will fully recover by 2080.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 01/01/1999