Proposed Risk Management Strategy addressing Ammonia, Inorganic Chloramines and Chlorinated Wastewater Effluents (Update)

Please visit Environment Canada's Municipal Wastewater Effluent Website for the most recent information on this initiative.

Report on Consultations

Environment Canada has prepared the following report, which presents a summary of the key messages, perspectives, ideas and issues that were raised throughout the consultation sessions. After consideration of the comments received, Environment Canada will formally propose, by publication of a Notice in Canada Gazette, Part I, a preventive or control instrument addressing ammonia, inorganic chloramines and chlorinated wastewater effluents in the Spring of 2003. This publication will be followed by a 60-day comment period. A final Notice of the instrument will be published in 2004.

Proposed Risk Management Strategy Addressing Ammonia, Inorganic Chloramines and Chlorinated Wastewater Effluents under CEPA 1999 - Report of Consultation Sessions August 20th to November 4th, 2002

[ Format: PDF ]

On June 23, 2001, the Ministers of the Environment and Health published in the Canada Gazette (Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 135 No 25, PDF 1.6 MB) their proposed recommendation that Ammonia, Inorganic chloramines, Textile mill effluents, and Nonylphenol and its ethoxylates be added to the List of Toxic Substances, Schedule 1, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999). On March 4, 1999, Chlorinated wastewater effluents was added to Schedule 1 (Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol 133 No 6, PDF 1.2 MB) based on a previous risk assessment. The major quantifiable sources of the above noted substances released to aquatic ecosystems across Canada are municipal wastewater systems.

Environment Canada is proposing pollution prevention planning as the preventive or control instrument to manage the risks associated with the release of ammonia, inorganic chloramines and chlorinated wastewater effluents. The proposed instrument is the first step toward a long-term strategy for managing wastewater effluents. Textile mill effluents and nonylphenol and its ethoxylates are being addressed in a separate but coordinated process as discussed in the proposed risk management strategy.

The Priority Substances List Assessment Reports are available through the following links:

• Ammonia in the Aquatic Environment
• Inorganic Chloramines
• Chlorinated Wastewater Effluents
• Nonylphenol and its Ethoxylates
• Textile Mill Effluents

Environment Canada hosted a series of one-day consultation sessions across Canada between August and November 2002, with representatives from provinces and territories, municipalities and other operating authorities, water and wastewater associations, municipal and industrial associations, environmental groups and other interested parties. The consultation sessions provided participants with contextual information for the substances addressed in the proposed instrument under CEPA 1999 and for the development of a long-term strategy. The sessions also provided an opportunity for participants to comment on the proposed elements of the notice that requires pollution prevention plans to be prepared and implemented under CEPA 1999 such as:

1. risk management objectives for ammonia, inorganic chloramines and chlorinated wastewater effluents;
2. criteria to select the wastewater systems for which pollution prevention plans will be prepared;
3. timelines for the preparation and implementation of the pollution prevention plans.

The two documents developed for the consultation sessions are:

1. August 2002: Proposed Risk Management Strategy addressing Ammonia, Inorganic Chloramines and Chlorinated Wastewater Effluents under CEPA 1999.
   [ Format: PDF ]
   
2. August 2002: Pollution Prevention Planning for Ammonia, Inorganic Chloramines and Chlorinated Wastewater Effluents Working Document.
   [ Format: PDF ]

Consultation period ended November 18, 2002.

Contact:

Claude Fortin
email: claude.fortin@ec.gc.ca
phone: (819) 997-5416
fax: (819) 953-7253

More information about the pollution prevention planning provisions of CEPA 1999 Part 4 can be found in the P2 Planning Provisions of Part 4 of CEPA 1999: Frequently Asked Questions and in the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Pollution Prevention Planning Provisions of Part 4 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999). Information about the pollution prevention planning can be found in Environment Canada's Pollution Prevention Planning Handbook. All three documents are available on Environment Canada's Pollution Prevention web section. Copies are also available from Environment Canada's Inquiry Centre at 1-800-668-6767 or CEPAP2Plans@ec.gc.ca.