Return to the list
Canada - Final Regulatory Action
CFC (Totally halogenated) CAS number:
75-69-4, 75-71-8, 76-13-1, 76-14-2, 76-15-3
Date circular:
12/12/2000

Chemical name:

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 CFCs, except for certain allowed uses described below.

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

4. The Regulations prohibit the manufacture or import of plastic foam in which any CFC has been used as a foaming agent, without exception.

5. The Regulations prohibit the sale or offer for sale of:

(a) pressurized containers that contain 10 kg or less of any CFC, except for certain allowed uses described below. Products that are affected by this restriction include aerosols, cans of refrigerant (less than 10 kg), party streamers, and fog horns.

(b) containers or packaging material for food or beverages that is made of plastic foam in which any CFC has been used as a foaming agent, without exception.

Use or uses that remain allowed:

1. The manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale, and import of bulk virgin chlorofluorocarbons 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. Canada considers these exemptions on a case-by-case basis;

(b) feedstock;

(c) analytical standard.

2. The import of recovered, recycled, reclaimed or used chlorofluorocarbon is allowed for use as feedstock or for an essential purpose.

3. The manufacture and import of products containing chlorofluorocarbon is allowed for:

(a) military ships before January 1, 2003;

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

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

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

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

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

(g) a pressurized container where the CFC is any of the following azeotropic mixtures:

(i) refrigerant 500 (CFC-12/HCFC-152a)

(ii) refrigerant 501 (CFC-12/HCFC-22)

(iii) refrigerant 502 (HCFC-22/CFC-115)

(iv) refrigerant 504 (HFC-32/CFC-115)

(h) a pressurized container where the CFC is a recovered CFC that is sold to be recycled or reclaimed and that will be used as a refrigerant.

4. The sale or offer for sale of containers that contain 10 kg or less of any CFC is allowed if:

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

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

(c) the CFC is any of the following azeotropic mixtures:

(i) refrigerant 500 (CFC-12/HCFC-152a)

(ii) refrigerant 501 (CFC-12/HCFC-22)

(iii) refrigerant 502 (HCFC-22/CFC-115)

(iv) refrigerant 504 (HFC-32/CFC-115)

(d) the CFC is a recovered CFC that is sold to be recycled or reclaimed and that will be used as a refrigerant.

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

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

Summary of the final regulatory action:

In Canada, the federal and provincial governments are responsible for regulating various aspects of ozone depleting substances in the country. Federal and provincial regulatory programs are complementary, and form an integral part of Canada's Ozone Layer Protection Program. The federal government is generally responsible for implementing the provisions of the Montreal Protocol, including controls on the manufacture, import and export of ODSs under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Provincial governments are responsible for the regulation of emissions and discharges to the environment, and govern the implementation of ODS recovery and recycling programs, and emission controls under provincial regulations.

The Ozone-depleting Substances (ODS) Regulations prescribe conditions under which a person may manufacture, import, export, use, sale, or offer for sale in Canada all substances known to deplete the ozone layer. In addition, the Regulations prohibit the use or sale of controlled ODSs that would have been illegally imported or manufactured after the phase-out date. The Regulations also require that permits be obtained to import or export used, recovered, recycled and reclaimed ODSs, limited to certain allowed uses. They control the consumption of ODS, namely halocarbons such as CFCs, halons, HCFCs, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Companies are issued permits for the manufacture, import or export of the prescribed ODSs.

The Regulations also prohibit any person from manufacturing, importing, selling or offering for sale any product containing ODS, including pressurized containers containing less than 10 kg of a chlorofluorocarbon, packaging material for food that is made of plastic foam in which a chlorofluorocarbon is the foaming agent, and products such as mobile air-conditioning units, fire extinguishers and insulation boards that come from countries that are not signatories to the Montreal Protocol. The intent is to minimize or eliminate ODS emissions from non-essential uses.

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

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

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.

CFC-11 has an ozone-depleting potential of 1.0.

CFC-12 has an ozone-depleting potential of 1.0.

CFC-113 has an ozone-depleting potential of 0.8.

CFC-114 has an ozone-depleting potential of 1.0.

CFC-115 has an ozone-depleting potential of 0.6.

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

Canada's contribution to global 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