Overview
- Estée Lauder pleaded guilty to two counts under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act after regulators found a PFAS compound in some eyeliner products.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada identified perfluorononyl dimethicone in 2023 and said the company failed to provide the required advance notification.
- Officials said a subsequent environmental protection compliance order issued in June 2023 was not followed by the company.
- The Ontario court ordered shareholder notification of the conviction, will add the company to the federal environmental offenders registry, and directed the fine to the Environmental Damages Fund.
- Advocacy groups praised the case as accountability and urged Ottawa to finalize a class listing for PFAS and phase the chemicals out of consumer products.