Are you confused about the VOC changes?

If you aren't aware, the Canadian government passed new bylaws that took effect January 1^st, 2024 which changed allowable Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOC's in a number of different products. The new regulations are meant to protect the environment and the health of Canadians by reducing ground level ozone and particulate matter.

Understanding VOC Changes

VOCs are found in many products, but some examples are cleaners and degreasers, solvents, specialized cleaning products and brake cleaners. There has been a lot of misleading information being spread, so we want to help clear up any confusion around this topic.

No major brands or aerosols are being banned. VOC limits are simply being adjusted to be in line with the California regulations that have been in effect since 2014. Therefore, this is not a new area for global chemical blenders, simply an adjustment of the formulas they can sell in the Canadian marketplace. This does mean products affected by the change will either be reformulated to meet the new standards, or discontinued completely.

There is currently no testing required or general reporting requirements. The onus is on the manufacturer to ensure that the products they manufacture meet the new regulatory requirements.

VOC Product Requirements

For brake cleaners specifically, most manufacturers have turned to Acetone as the main ingredient in non-chlorinated versions and added Toluene or Heptane for added strength… as seen below with this image taken from the SDS sheet of the new Kleen-Flo 323 formula:

Acetone, Toluene, and Heptane have different compatibilities with seal materials, such as the common EPDM rubber seals. This has led to non-chlorinated brake cleaners being incompatible with some of the most common sprayers in the marketplace.

Therefore, one of the biggest challenges with these formula changes is finding the right sprayer for bulk format cleaners. As formulations continue to evolve it's important for end users to refer to the sprayer manufactures websites to ensure compatibility. For a full listing of a chemical compatibility chart, please visit; FBS Chemical Cross Reference Guide

An important option to remember is the non-chlorinated brake cleaners that have not experienced change to their formulations as they already met the VOC requirements: