An opportunity for Canada: Regulating chemicals of concern in plastics ahead of INC-5

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partners call for Canada to prohibit CEPA-toxic substances like DEHP, BPA, and PFAS in plastic products before INC-5 to build global momentum for the Global Plastics Treaty. They recommend prioritizing various chemical groupings in the 2025 Priority Plan and finalizing a Plastics Chemicals Strategy by Fall 2025 to restrict precursors such as formaldehyde and vinyl chloride.

• The document calls for the final Priority Plan, due by June 2025, to prioritize 13 specific classes of plastics chemicals and additives for assessment and risk management, including phthalates, flame retardants, bisphenols, PFAS, chlorinated paraffins, benzotriazoles, aromatic amines, aralkyl aldehydes, salicylate esters, aromatic ethers, parabens, aceto/benzophenones, and alkylphenols.
• The authors urge the finalization of a Plastics Chemicals Strategy by Fall 2025 to restrict the production and import of specific plastic chemicals and precursors, namely formaldehyde, naphthalene, benzene/styrene, and vinyl chloride, as well as remaining persistent organic pollutants (POPs) listed in the Stockholm Convention.
• Product testing in Canada indicates that substances such as flame retardants and phthalates are present in plastic products at concentrations of approximately 10% by volume, which the authors state represents a significant exposure risk.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2024). An opportunity for Canada: Regulating chemicals of concern in plastics ahead of INC-5. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Regulating-chemicals-of-concern-in-plastics-ahead-of-INC-5.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. An opportunity for Canada: Regulating chemicals of concern in plastics ahead of INC-5. 2024. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Regulating-chemicals-of-concern-in-plastics-ahead-of-INC-5.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=An opportunity for Canada: Regulating chemicals of concern in plastics ahead of INC-5 |date=October 2024 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Regulating-chemicals-of-concern-in-plastics-ahead-of-INC-5.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2024opportunity, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{An opportunity for Canada: Regulating chemicals of concern in plastics ahead of INC-5}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Regulating-chemicals-of-concern-in-plastics-ahead-of-INC-5.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }