Proposed Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Recyclable Material Regulations - Stakeholders Workshop Report

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Workshop Results
• 3. Conclusions and Recommendations
• Appendix A: Pre-Identified Issues for Discussion
• Appendix B: List of Invited Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations
• Appendix C: Regional Workshop Reports
• Appendix D: Comments Received after the Workshops

Environment Canada is in the process of modifying the existing Export and Import of Hazardous Wastes Regulations (EIHWR) and incorporating new aspects transferred from the new Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999) for the export and import of hazardous wastes and hazardous recyclable materials. The revised regulations will be known as The Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Recyclable Materials Regulations (EIHWRM).

A series of five (5) two-day stakeholder workshops were held in early 2002 for consultation on these proposed amendments to the regulations. The workshops were held in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver, and Calgary in order to get a broad regional stakeholder representation. Representatives from industry, carriers, waste management companies, and environmental non-governmental organizations were invited to attend the workshops.

The series of workshops successfully achieved each of the identified goals, which were to:

• review the proposed amendments to the regulations;
• solicit feedback on the direction of the proposed regulations;
• generate consensus on major issues; and,
• identify key areas that need clarification in anticipation of drafting the new regulations in late 2002.

The structure of the workshops was conducive to the full participation of the attendees, which was evident by the substantial amount of discussion that took place. Representation at the workshops was well distributed between industry, carriers, waste management companies and industry associations.

The discussions held in each of the five workshops across Canada did not present many differing regional viewpoints. There were a number of common issues that the majority of participants expressed. These issues were identified as:

• the need to harmonize regulations between the federal government and the provincial governments throughout Canada;
• the need for the proposed regulations to better facilitate and promote recycling;
• to differentiate the regulatory regimes for hazardous waste and recyclable material;
• a generally positive attitude to a proposed notice renewal mechanism;
• support for easy-to-understand e-filing;
• the need to revisit liability and insurance levels;
• the need to further develop issues concerning Waste Reduction Plans; and,
• the need for clarification of Environmentally Sound Management, its synergies with Environmental Management Systems, and potential application to the new regulations.