Estée Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. has been fined $750,000 after pleading guilty to violating federal environmental laws related to the sale of cosmetic products containing PFAS, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced.
The conviction was entered on January 13, 2026, in the Ontario Court of Justice, where the company admitted to two offences under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The violations involved failing to notify the federal government of a significant new activity involving a regulated substance and failing to comply with an environmental protection compliance order.
The charges stem from a May 2023 inspection, when enforcement officers discovered the company was selling some eyeliner products containing perfluorononyl dimethicone, a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), according to an enforcement notification from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
Under CEPA, the import, sale or distribution of cosmetic products containing perfluorononyl dimethicone is classified as a “significant new activity.” This designation requires companies to notify the federal government in advance, allowing regulators to assess potential risks to human health and the environment before the activity proceeds.
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In June 2022, Cosmetics Alliance Canada alerted its members that the use of perfluorononyl dimethicone was subject to a significant new activity notice, requiring companies to disclose what ingredients are being introduced before it can be sold in Canada.
According to ECCC, Estée Lauder failed to provide the required notification, violating subsection 81(4) of the Act.
On June 8, 2023, enforcement officers issued an environmental protection compliance order directing the company to take specific steps to comply with the significant new activity requirements. The company did not meet those requirements, resulting in a second violation under subsection 238(1) of CEPA.
As a result of the conviction, Estée Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. will also be listed in the federal Environmental Offenders Registry, a publicly accessible database that tracks corporate and individual convictions under federal environmental laws.
A wide range of PFAS are used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products, including cosmetics, due to their durability and resistance to water and oil. However, their persistence in the environment has raised increasing regulatory and public health concerns worldwide.
ECCC said it works alongside Health Canada to ensure cosmetics sold in Canada meet federal safety and environmental standards under CEPA, the Food and Drugs Act, and the Cosmetic Regulations.
In addition to the fine, the court ordered the company to notify its shareholders of the conviction. The $750,000 penalty will be directed to Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund, which supports projects to restore and protect the environment.
