Bisphenol A in industrial effluents: P2 notice performance report

Status: As of January 2017, the P2 plans for Bisphenol A (BPA) in industrial effluents have been fully implemented.

Pollution prevention (P2) planning is a process by which organizations can improve their environmental performance by strategically planning to reduce or eliminate pollution before it is created.

Last Updated: November 2017

In 2008, Bisphenol A (BPA) was found to be toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999). BPA is acutely toxic to aquatic organisms and is a known endocrine disruptor. It was determined that releases of BPA to water were the main source of concern for the environment.

BPA is not manufactured in Canada but is imported for uses in the production of polycarbonates, epoxy resins, investment casting and other applications. Since 2006, imports of BPA have decreased by 75% and major industrial facilities, such as those producing resins, have stopped importing and using BPA in Canada, leading to significant reduction of BPA releases through industrial effluents.

In order to manage the environmental risk posed by BPA, Environment and Climate Change Canada published a P2 planning notice on April 14, 2012, that requires industrial facilities that manufacture or use BPA and have effluent that contains Bisphenol A at the final discharge point of the facility, to adopt pollution prevention practices. These practices were designed to help facilities meet the risk management objective, which is to achieve and maintain the lowest total concentration of BPA that is technically and economically feasible, at less than 1.75 µg/L in effluent.

As of January 2017, four facilities have been subject to the notice and have developed and implemented P2 plans. The facilities have used several techniques to achieve their targets. Most have chosen the use of non-BPA alternatives. They reported their progress to Environment and Climate Change Canada on an annual basis from 2012 to 2016. Results indicate that releases of BPA to the environment were significantly reduced. Currently, the risk management objective was not achieved by two of the four facilities, even though those facilities have stopped using BPA. These facilities are continuing to work towards the objective and Environment and Climate Change Canada is monitoring their situation.

Information reported for the notice

Key targets of the notice

P2 methods implemented by facilities

P2 results

Overall achievements of the notice

The following results have been achieved by the four facilities subjected:

• One facility met the P2 objective by using BPA free alternatives
• Another facility still uses BPA and is meeting the targeted 1.75 µg/L limit in industrial effluent
• Although the two remaining facilities stopped using BPA, they have not met the targeted release limit. The companies have agreed to conduct sampling twice a year until the achievement of the RMO.
• There has been an overall 99% reduction in the use of BPA
• An overall reduction of 94% of BPA sent to off-site wastewater systems was achieved
• An overall reduction of 83% has been achieved to date for the average concentration of BPA in effluents
• Since 2013, no BPA has been transferred to landfill

The following table summarizes the information submitted and the reductions seen by all subjected facilities.

Table notes

¹ Quantities presented after 2013 were estimated based on previous submissions for one facility that had already implemented its P2 plan (Schedule 5). The company reported achievement of the risk management objective with an effluent concentration below the risk management objective of 1.75 µg/L in effluent.

^2,3 Facilities were required to sample only after proper control measures had been put in place (after 2015).

The following charts provide a breakdown by year of quantities used and associated releases at the subjected facilities.

Chart 1: Quantity of BPA used per year since 2012

Chart 2: Quantity of BPA used by facilities since 2012

Chart 3: Quantity of BPA released to off-site wastewater systems since 2012

Chart 4: Quantity of BPA released to off-site wastewater systems by facility since 2012

Background

Bisphenol A and pollution prevention

Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada have concluded that BPA may be harmful to human health and the environment at current levels of exposure. Due to its persistence in sediment and the fact that BPA is acutely toxic to aquatic organisms and is an endocrine disruptor, it was determined that releases of BPA to water are the main source of concern for the environment.

Bisphenol A is imported and used in Canada

Based on a survey conducted under section 71 of CEPA 1999, no bisphenol A was manufactured in Canada in 2006 at quantities greater than or equal to 100 kg. However, 25 companies reported importing approximately 0.5 million kg of bisphenol A in Canada and 5 companies reported using 0.1 to 1 million kg of bisphenol A in Canada either alone, in a product, in a mixture or in a manufactured item.

Risk management objective and risk management of bisphenol A

In order to manage the environmental risk posed by BPA, Environment and Climate Change Canada has developed a P2 planning notice that requires industrial facilities, subject to the notice, to adopt pollution prevention practices. These practices have to be developed to meet the risk management objective, which is to achieve and maintain the lowest total concentration of BPA feasible that is less than 1.75 µg/L in effluent.

Those subject to the notice are facilities that manufacture or use BPA in a quantity greater than 100 kg and, as a result of activities, the effluent at the final discharge point of the facility contains BPA.

Sources

• Pollution prevention planning online reporting tool and database
• Fact sheet for P2 planning notice in respect of BPA
• Notice requiring the preparation and implementation of pollution prevention plans with respect to bisphenol A in industrial effluents