Dec. 11 - Information on the Screening Assessment of Living Organisms on the Domestic Substances List (DSL)

The New Substances Program of Environment Canada and Health Canada will be conducting “screening assessments” of all living organisms listed on the Domestic Substances List (DSL).

Screening assessments are a requirement under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999). Under Section 74(b), the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health are required to conduct screening assessments of the living organisms listed on the DSL in order to determine whether the latter are “toxic” or capable of becoming “toxic” as defined under the Act. Section 64 of the Act states that a substance is “toxic” if it is entering or may enter the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that:

have or may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment or its biological diversity;

constitute or may constitute a danger to the environment on which life depends; or

constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health.

To view the complete assessment, published on the Government of Canada’s website, please visit: Information on the Screening Assessment of Living Organisms on the Domestic Substances List (DSL)