Retail Chemical Labels for Canada (CCCR) vs. the US (CPSC)

By: Kirsten Alcock, Manager of Product Safety, email

Many of our clients come to us not knowing that there is a HUGE difference between the two countries on the requirements not only for the product label itself but for testing as well.

Before we can help you with these regulations, you need to ask yourself some big questions:

• What is the intent of my product?

If you are wanting to make any claims such as disinfecting or sanitizing, there are special requirements for those products in Canada and the United States. If you are not making any claims, then you would come under the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations (CCCR) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

• What is my intended packaging?

There are different requirements for testing between the two countries if you are selling a flammable aerosol. There is the potential for the product to be prohibited for sale in Canada based on the required aerosol flammability testing within Canada.

• Do you plan on having a label intended for both countries?

You may want to reconsider this option for the following reasons:

1. Canada requires bilingual labeling whereas this is not required in the US. This can severely decrease the font size of your labels.
2. Canada also does not classify for chronic hazards such as carcinogens. This would put you at a disadvantage in the Canadian market.  Do you want to label your product as a carcinogen in Canada when it is not required?
3. Canada and the US also have different toxicity endpoints. A product may be considered harmful if ingested in the US but not in Canada as our Oral LD50 threshold is much lower. Canada cuts off at 2000 mg/kg whereas the US cuts off at 5000 mg/kg.
4. CRCs otherwise known as Child Resistant Containers.  The requirements differ between the countries. A product in Canada may require a CRC whereas in the US it does not. Packaging with CRCs is VERY EXPENSIVE. Why waste your money on packaging that is not required for one country over the other.

Contact us at Dell Tech. We can advise on the different requirements for your Consumer/Retail Label Requirements for CCCR and CPSC. Our in-house experts have the knowledge to help you comply with the current regulations and advise on what is coming down the line.

Don’t hesitate and contact us today.

Contact:
Dell Tech
Kirsten Alcock, B.Sc. (Hons) 
Manager, Product Safety Group
519-858-5074
kirsten@delltech.com

Dell Tech has provided professional, confidential consulting services to the chemical specialty industry in Canada, the USA, Europe, and Asia for the last 40 years.

Contact us today for more information.

www.delltech.com