Canada | Risk Assessment of Chemical Substances: Three new fact sheets were published

The information described on this page and each related fact sheet may change as our chemical substances risk assessment program, policies, and methods evolve over time.

Substances, such as individual chemicals and polymers, have many different properties and many different uses. Some are used to make plastics flexible while others help to put out fires. Some are formed through common chemical reactions that occur naturally in the environment. Still others are present in foods and in products we use as part of our day-to-day activities, such as shampoos, floor cleaners, clothing fabrics, and children's toys.

In the same way that substances have different uses, some can also be harmful in different ways. For instance, some may harm fish, while some are linked to life-threatening diseases, such as cancer. Others may be carried long distances through the air and affect people or the environment far away.