OTTAWA -- January 30, 2009 -- The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment, and the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced the publication of final conclusions and initial risk management approaches for Batch 2 substances in the Chemicals Management Plan (excluding bisphenol A, which was release in October 2008). Notices were also published requesting information for Batch 8 substances.
"The Government of Canada is doing its part to protect Canada's environment from the harmful effects of chemical substances," said Minister Prentice. "This work means that harmful substances will be stopped from entering the environment and becoming a problem for future generations."
"The Chemicals Management Plan is an important part of our actions to protect Canadians' health," said Minister Aglukkaq. "These substances have been carefully reviewed by our scientists and we have proposed several actions that will better protect the health of families and our environment."
Of the 16 substances assessed in Batch 2, five were found to be of concern to human health (thiourea, Pigment Yellow 34, Pigment Red 104, isoprene and epichlorohydrin) and three to the environment (siloxanes D4 and D5, and 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol or TTBP).
Although Canadians' exposure to the five substances of concern to human health is very low, regulations are being proposed for four of these substances to prevent them from being used in the future without undergoing a new series of assessments. In addition, two of these substances will be added to the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist to prevent their future use in cosmetics. For one substance, it is proposed that manufacturers be required to implement the best-available technology so that releases can be controlled to better protect Canadians' health.
Of the three substances of concern to the environment, regulations will be developed to set a concentration limit for siloxanes D4 and D5 in products and for wastewater generated during the manufacturing process. The third substance (TTBP) will be managed so that releases to the environment will be reduced below levels that can be measured. Additional information on these substances is available in the attached backgrounders.
The final screening assessments and the proposed risk management approach documents can be found on the Chemicals Management Plan website at http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/plan/index_e.html. The process to address the approximately 200 high-priority substances identified under the Challenge will be completed in 2010.
Notices were also published in Canada Gazette, Part 1 for the 14 substances included in Batch 8 of the Chemicals Management Plan. Industry and other stakeholders are being asked to provide information on these substances that will be used in the draft screening assessments and any risk management that is required. Additional information on Batch 8 substances is available in the attached backgrounder.
Related Documents
For more information, please visit www.chemicalsubstances.gc.ca, or contact:
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
(819) 997-1441
Environment Canada Media Relations
(819) 934-8008
1-888-908-8008
Josée Bellemare
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Health Canada Media Relations
(613) 957-2983
