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Selling cleaning products and detergents in Canada

In Canada, consumer cleaning products are consumer products under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act. Those that are toxic, corrosive or flammable, or in pressurised containers, are classified and labelled under the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, 2001, with a hazard symbol, signal word and statements in English and French. Phosphorus is limited in household detergents and cleaners.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Hazard labelling
Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, 2001
Who classifies
The responsible person: manufacturer or importer
Label language
English and French
Phosphorus
0.5% by weight as elemental phosphorus in household products
Classification records
Kept at least three years
Incidents
Reported to Health Canada within two days

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it toxic, corrosive or flammable, or sold in a pressurised container? Read more
  2. 2Which hazard symbol, signal word and statements must the label show? Read more
  3. 3Does it need a child-resistant container? Read more
  4. 4Is the phosphorus content within the limit for its type? Read more
  5. 5Does it claim to disinfect, which brings in drug rules? Read more
  6. 6Is the net quantity, identity and dealer shown under the CPLA? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Hazard classification

Working out which hazard categories a product falls into.

  • A chemical product is a consumer product with the properties of a toxic, corrosive or flammable product or a quick skin-bonding adhesive; pressurised containers are a separate hazard category.
  • The responsible person, the manufacturer for products made in Canada and the importer for imported products, determines the hazard categories, the container type and the label information (section 4).
  • Products classified "very toxic" may not be manufactured, imported, advertised or sold (section 38).
  • Documents behind the classification are kept at least three years and given to an inspector within 15 days of a request (section 5).
  • Under the Food and Drugs Act, a drug includes a substance sold or represented for disinfection in premises where food is manufactured, prepared or kept; Health Canada's Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate oversees disinfectant drugs.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the safety data sheets, test results and classification behind each product, dated, ready for an inspector's 15-day request. Ask about this

Labelling

What the container shows, where and in which languages.

  • Required information is displayed in both official languages and stays clear and legible for the product's useful life (section 17).
  • The main display panel shows the hazard symbol, the signal word "EXTREME DANGER", "DANGER" or "CAUTION", and the primary hazard statement (section 25).
  • Elsewhere on the label: the specific hazard statement, negative and positive instructions, and a first aid statement headed "FIRST AID TREATMENT" and "PREMIERS SOINS", listing the hazardous ingredients after "Contains" and "Contient".
  • Containers with a main display panel under 35 cm² need only the hazard symbol and signal word.
  • Under the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, prepackaged products also show identity, metric net quantity and the dealer's name and principal place of business.

How we help: Compliant Always sets the required symbol, signal word and statements beside your English and French label, so missing or misplaced elements are visible. Ask about this

Containers

Leakage, child resistance and single-use containers.

  • A container of a liquid chemical product passes the leakage test in Schedule 3 or an equivalent test (section 7).
  • Products classified "toxic" are in child-resistant containers, subject to exceptions (section 40).
  • A child-resistant container meets CSA-Z76.1, ISO 8317 or 16 CFR 1700.20, or an equivalent, and keeps its child-resistant characteristics for the product's useful life.
  • Single-use containers carry "USE ENTIRE CONTENTS ON OPENING" and "UTILISER LA TOTALITÉ DU CONTENU APRÈS OUVERTURE".

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the container supplier's test reports and certificates with each product and shows which are missing. Ask about this

Phosphorus limits

A limit set under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

  • Household laundry detergents, household dish-washing compounds and household cleaners may contain no more than 0.5% phosphorus by weight as elemental phosphorus, or 1.1% as phosphorus pentoxide.
  • Commercial or industrial laundry detergents may contain up to 2.2% as elemental phosphorus.
  • Analysis is done by a laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, or under Quebec's Environment Quality Act, for that analysis.
  • Manufacturers and importers of these products containing phosphorus keep records for five years in Canada.

How we help: Upload the lab report and Compliant Always reads the phosphorus result against the limit for that product type, and keeps the lab's accreditation with it. Ask about this

General safety and incidents

The CCPSA duties behind every consumer product.

  • No manufacturer or importer may manufacture, import, advertise or sell a consumer product that is a danger to human health or safety (section 7, CCPSA).
  • Manufacturers, importers and sellers report incidents to Health Canada, and to their supplier, within two days of becoming aware of them; the manufacturer, or the importer where the manufacturer is outside Canada, follows with a written report within 10 days (section 14).
  • Businesses keep records of who supplied and who bought the product for six years (section 13).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the supplier and customer records for each product and lot, so an incident report is drawn from the record. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Manufacturer in CanadaClassification, labelling, container and records as the responsible person.Classification evidence, labels and container reports kept together and dated.
ImporterThe responsible person's duties for imported products, and incident reports.Suppliers' safety data and test reports read before goods arrive.
RetailerSupplier records and incident reporting under the CCPSA.Supplier documents ready when Health Canada asks.

Provinces and territories

The federal Acts and regulations in these guides apply across Canada. Provincial regulations may add labelling requirements for products sold within a province, and Quebec has additional requirements on the use of French on products marketed there.

Alcohol is largely provincial: provincial and territorial liquor boards set their own requirements, and liquor imported into a province is consigned to the provincial body authorised to sell it.

Questions businesses ask

Which regulations cover household cleaning product labels in Canada?
The Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, 2001, under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, for products that are toxic, corrosive, flammable or quick skin-bonding adhesives, and pressurised containers. The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act covers net quantity, identity and dealer details.
Who is responsible for classifying a consumer chemical product?
The responsible person: the manufacturer if it is made in Canada, or the importer if it is imported. They determine the hazard categories, container type and label information, and keep the documents at least three years.
What goes on the front of a hazardous cleaning product label?
On the main display panel: the hazard symbol, the signal word "EXTREME DANGER", "DANGER" or "CAUTION", and the primary hazard statement, in English and French.
Do cleaning product labels need to be bilingual in Canada?
Yes. Information required by the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, 2001 is displayed in both official languages, and must remain clear and legible throughout the product's useful life.
When does a cleaning product need a child-resistant container?
When it is classified as "toxic" under the regulations, subject to exceptions. The container meets CSA-Z76.1, ISO 8317, 16 CFR 1700.20 or an equivalent standard.
What is the phosphorus limit for laundry detergent in Canada?
For household laundry detergent, 0.5% by weight as elemental phosphorus, or 1.1% as phosphorus pentoxide. The same limit applies to household dish-washing compounds and most household cleaners.
Is a disinfectant cleaner regulated differently?
It can be. Under the Food and Drugs Act, a drug includes a substance sold or represented for disinfection in premises where food is manufactured, prepared or kept. Health Canada's Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate oversees disinfectant drugs.
Do I have to report incidents with a cleaning product?
Yes. Manufacturers, importers and sellers give Health Canada the information within two days of becoming aware of an incident, and the manufacturer, or the importer if the manufacturer is outside Canada, sends a written report within 10 days (section 14, CCPSA).
How long must classification records be kept?
At least three years after the product is manufactured in Canada or imported, and given to an inspector within 15 days of a request (section 5, CCCR, 2001).
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Canada?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including Canada's federal rules and the bilingual labelling they share. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Canada and what your paperwork needs to show.

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