Toxics Caucus Archives
1. Categorization of the Domestic Substances List (DSL)
Environment Canada and Health Canada are responsible for completing the
categorization of the Domestic Substances List (DSL) under the CEPA by September 14, 2006. Both departments have accomplished a great deal in a short time frame and have developed processes that will be used for identifying and assessing thousands of substances.
More information (…)
2. COP-2 in Geneva, Switzerland
Read the COP-2 Public Report
The Second Meeting of the Parties on the Stockholm Convention on POPs was held in Geneva, Switzerland between May 1-5, 2006. Fe de Leon of CELA was selected as the ENGO representative to the Canadian delegation. The inclusion of NGOs on the Canadian delegation only occurred after NGOs were notified that no NGO (i.e., industry, environmental and aboriginal organizations) would be included in the delegation for COP2. After stakeholders raised their opposition to this decision, the government reversed its position to include NGO delegation.
Issues of significant interest from COP2 include:
- The POP Review Committee reported back from its first meeting and clarifications from Mexico who nominated lindane for addition to the Stockholm Convention on POPs
- The establishment of the effectiveness evaluation provisions in the Convention. This provision will be instrumental in determining whether the levels of POPs currently covered under the Convention are declining. The current efforts on effectiveness evaluation will be focused on several programs already underway in several developed countries around the globe including Canada’s own monitoring programs in the northern communities.
- Synergies between the Stockholm Convention on POPs, the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste, the Rotterdam Convention and SAICM (Strategic Approach to an Integrated Chemicals Management).
Switzerland led the discussion to create a need for synergies between the various convention. This issue may require some attention by NGOs since it may have significant implications for the domestic regime on managing toxic substances. It is important to note that some monitoring effort in this area is required to ensure the strong legal text, objectives and intent (i.e., elimination, transparent engagement of stakeholders, etc.) of the Stockholm Convention on POPs are not weakened from these discussions on synergies.
3. New Substances Notification Regulations (NSNR)
When the chemicals and polymers portion of the New Substances Notification Regulations (NSNR) came into force in 1994, Environment Canada and Health Canada committed to conduct a formal review of the regulations following the first three years of their implementation. A multistakeholder consultative process was initiated in 1999 to benefit from government, industry and public experience with the NSNR and New Substances Program.
Click here for more information.
4. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME)
The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment is the result of the Harmonization Accord. The CCME has overseen a plethora of multi-stakeholder consultations primarily through the Canada-Wide Standards (CWS) initiative, and the Multi-pollutant Emissions Reduction Strategies (MERS) process. The CCME also works closely with the National Air Issues Coordinating Committees (A and B). Though there are currently no new processes, the CEN Caucus Unit regularly nominates delegates to CCME led initiatives, and a surfing of the CCME website introduces a host of environmental initiatives.
5. Persistent Organic Pollutants Treaty (Stockholm Convention)
At the international level, regulation of some of the most toxic chemicals, many of which are pesticides, falls under the Persistent Organic Pollutants Treaty, also know as the Stockholm Convention. The 7 Inter-governmental Negotiation Committee will be meeting under the auspices of the UN in July, 2003. As in years past, the RCEN Toxics Caucus was invited to nominate an ENGO representative to the official Canadian Negotiation Committee. INC-7 is expected to be the final negotiation round, to be followed by the Conferences of the Parties once negotiation is complete and the Treaty is operationalized. Here is the ENGO delegate submission. General information on POPs is also available, or get details on the POPs Convention and negotiation process.
Submission to Seventh Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee Meeting (INC7) Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): Discussion Document.
In February 2004, Environment Canada held workshops to consult on Canada’s National Implementation Plan (NIP) under the Stockholm Convention, which is anticipated to enter into force soon. The workshops were intented to provide an overview of Canada’s obligations under the Convention, the ways in which federal, provincial and territorial governments are meeting those obligations and describe current areas of discussion by signatories to the Convention (for example, guidance on Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practices); offer participants an opportunity to describe ways in which their organizations are contributing to the elimination/reduction of persistent organic pollutants covered under the Convention, and to seek advice on the scope and format of Canada’s National Implementation Plan, a requirement under Article 7 of the Convention.
Following these workshops, the Canadian Environmental Law Association drafted an ENGO response to the government's current domestic implmentation plan.
UNEP Press Release on the POPs Treaty's Ratification
6. Accelerated Reductions / Elimination of Toxics ARET
Members of the RCEN Toxics Caucus were involved in the ARET process throughout the 1990s. Having met with only limited success, the programme was re-launched under the banner Environmental Leaders in 2001 with the RCEN Toxics Caucus nominating 2 ENGO delegates to the process. ENGO dissatisfaction with the results of voluntary initiatives saw ARET / Environmental Leaders fall on the list of caucus priorities, though some caucus members continued to participate, and the caucus continued to monitor progress. Environment Canada has since launched its third attempt at encouraging a voluntary programme, under the banner ARET 2 The RCEN Toxics Caucus will be closely monitoring this recent attempt, and will, depending on the programme's design, re-consider formal participation. Visit the ARET website for more information.
7. Amendments to Import and Export Regulations for Hazardous Wastes and the Basel Convention
For three consecutive years the Canadian government has been consulting with stakeholders toward amending the regulations that govern the import and export of hazardous wastes. The RCEN Toxics Caucus has been closely monitoring and participating in this process. Final recommendations are currently being proposed. The RCEN has been coordinating consolidated ENGO position papers throughout. The final ENGO position paper on this process is available for download. Environment Canada has released the report summarizing the findings from the consultation. There will be further opportunity for input in the sixty-day consultation period following the publication of the proposed regulations in Canada Gazette 1, which is anticipated by the end of this year. If you would like additional information, please contact Michel Charron 819-953-1121 or Nabila Elsaadi at 819-997-3068. To learn more, visit Environment Canada's Transboundary Movement Branch.
Electronic Waste
The legacy of computer and Information Technolgoy (IT) waste in Canadian landfills is growing at alarming rates. Impacts from the use of toxic material in IT products is exsacerbated by the sheer volume of IT material disposed of in mass quantities. There have been recent efforts to develop a recycling stream for IT waste, but measures to capture the toxic content and toward avoiding the generation of toxic by-products as a result of re-smelting, requires further attention. The creation of a recycling stream also threatens to undermine efforts aimed at reducing the use of toxic material during the primary production of disposable products. (See Pollution Prevention) (link above). Get more information from Environment Canada, including quantitative data.
Noranda is opening Canada's first plant committed to the recycling of IT material.
EU Chemical Policy
In spring 2003, the European Union (EU) proposed an aggressive and progressive new chemicals policy aimed at significantly reducing toxic chemicals in commercial use. Members of the CEN Toxics Caucus have prepared "Within REACH: An Agenda for Improving the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999", a document to review the European proposal and compare it to CEPA.
For more information on REACH visit the EU Web site.
For more information, including North American ENGO reactions, contact Beverly Thorpe of Clean Production Action.
Precautionary Principle
In early 2002, the RCEN Toxics Caucus was invited to participate in a multi-stakeholder consultation hosted jointly by Environment Canada and Health Canada toward a more consensual understanding of the Precautionary Principle. In general terms, the principle states that the absence of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason to postpone decisions when faced with the threat of serious or irreversible harm. Because the principle is enshrined in international law, and is found in the preamble to CEPA (the Canadian Environmental Protection Act) Cabinet encouraged the development of a Canadian definition. The process has since seriously stalled. For more information, visit Environment Canada or read the ENGO submission.
Multi-Pollutant Emissions Reduction Strategies
Multi-Pollutant Emissions Reduction Strategies
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