Selenium and its compounds added to Canada’s Schedule 1 – Toxic Substance List

Final screening assessment and proposed risk management approach 

The Government of Canada under the Act of Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), has added selenium and 28 of its compounds to Schedule 1 (list of toxic substances).  For the Second Phase of CMP (Chemical Management Plan), some of the Selenium-containing substances are identified as priorities for Action.  

Its selection is based on the Categorization process that has been completed in 2006. Final screening assessment was performed on Substances with selenium moiety ie. on Selenium and its compound. It included substances containing Selenium in all oxidation states like Selenite, Selenate, elemental, selenide, etc and other Organic selenium and all forms of selenium found in the environment that met the categorization criteria and the same was added in Domestic Substance List as well and the same was added in Domestic Substance List as well. The assessment considered the combined exposure to all selenium compounds from natural or industrial sources, whether it is present in water, sediment, soil, air, food, or products available to consumers. 

The Government concluded that selenium and its compounds are harmful to human health, based on the potential for elevated levels in certain subpopulations in Canada; however, they are not considered harmful to the general population of Canada. They are also considered to have a harmful impact on the environment. 

Certain risk management actions have already been initiated by the Government to limit the exposure of these substances. It has been limited in certain uses, including in some foods and natural healthcare products. Following measures have been initiated: 

• The Government lowered the maximum daily dose of selenium from 400 mg/day to 200 mg/day. 

• Health risk assessments and opinions on the potential risks posed by chemical substances in traditional foods or in the interpretation of biomonitoring results will be provided by the Government. Any subsequent risk management advice developed from these assessments, such as issuing a consumption advisory, would be the responsibility of the relevant authority. 

• the Government will continue to monitor the exposures of the general population to selenium through the Canadian Health Measures Survey 

The Schedule 1 listing gives government departments the authority to issue preventative or other control measures to manage potential health and environmental risks from the naturally occurring mineral. 

Last update: 2021-05-12