New regulations aimed at reducing gases known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in household and commercial products have resulted in some confusion about the future availability of WD-40 in Canada.
The company that makes the popular penetrating oil spray issued a statement late last week clarifying that WD-40 will still be available in Canadian stores after the new regulations take effect on January 1, 2024.
“It has recently come to our attention that false information is circulating online that WD-40 Brand products are being banned in Canada. This is not a true statement. Although there are currently regulatory changes taking place in Canada, we have been aware of these regulatory changes and have been preparing for them for some time,” the company says.
The new regulations, which were published in January 2022, set concentration limits for smog-causing VOCs in approximately 130 aerosol-type product categories, ranging from hairspray to brake cleaner.
The company has not said whether it will be changing the formulation to meet the Canadian government’s new maximum of 25 per cent VOC for penetrating lubricants.
In Canada, the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for WD-40 says it contains between 50 and 70 per cent aliphatic hydrocarbon, whereas U.S. formulations appear to contain less than half that percentage.
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