OTTAWA, Ont. — The Canadian government published a preliminary assessment last month proposing the elimination of three silicon-based chemicals including D5, the main ingredient in GreenEarth solvent.
The assessment identified octoamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) silicones and a phenol derivative as meeting toxicity criteria sufficient to require elimination under Canadian law.
“Our initial assessment shows that four of these chemicals should be kept out of our environment,” said Environment Minister John Baird in a statement. “As a result, we will be working with stakeholders to stop the release of these substances at the source.”
Environment Canada found that D5 — a common ingredient in beauty and personal-care products — met its criteria for “persistence, bioaccumulation potential and inherent toxicity to nonhuman organisms.” Preliminary findings did not determine that D5 posed a risk to human health.
“We are concerned that the draft screening assessments for D4, D5 and D6 propose environmental conclusions that do not accurately reflect the large amount of data on these substances,” says a statement from Karluss Thomas, executive director of the Silicones Environmental, Health & Safety Council (SEHSC).
The group will respond to government concerns during a 60-day comment period. “SEHSC is conducting additional studies on the environmental fate of D4, D5 and D6, and will continue to work with Canadian government agencies to ensure that questions relating to silicon-based materials are answered.”
“We’re confident that the SEHSC is dealing with the Canadian government in answering their question and satisfying the Canadians’ concerns,” says Tim Maxwell, vice president of Kansas City-based GreenEarth Cleaning LLC.
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