GATINEAU, QC, July 15,
2024 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring a clean and
safe environment for every generation. Everyone deserves access to
clean air and water. That's why the Government is taking action to
tackle pollution from all sectors of the economy including through
modernized tools like the Canadian Environmental Protection Act,
1999 (CEPA).
Canada is taking the next step
to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes
referred to as "forever chemicals", which is a large class of
extremely persistent human-made substances used in a wide range of
everyday products, including food packaging, drugs, cosmetics,
non-stick cookware, vehicles, and electronics. Worldwide, PFAS can
be found in the air, groundwater, oceans, lakes, rivers, and soil,
as well as in wastewater and sewage sludge.
Based on the latest available science, the Government has
published an updated Draft State of PFAS Report and a
revised Risk Management Scope. The Report proposes to conclude that
the class of PFAS, excluding fluoropolymers, is entering or may
enter the environment at levels that are or may be harmful to human
health and the environment.
The Government is proposing a separate assessment to examine the
exposure and hazard profile of fluoropolymers. This updated draft
report aligns with evidence suggesting that fluoropolymers may have
different exposure and hazard profiles than other PFAS. The
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Minister of
Health will also consider whether fluoropolymers are possible
candidates to the Watch List under section 75.1 of CEPA that will
help importers, manufacturers, and Canadian consumers to select
safer alternatives and avoid regrettable substitutions—replacing
one problem chemical with another that, in turn, becomes a problem.
Canadians will be consulted on the process for additions to the
Watch List in the near future.
The revised Risk Management Scope proposes a phased approach,
starting with a regulation to restrict PFAS not already regulated
in firefighting foams, followed by additional measures to prohibit
other uses or sectors in relation to PFAS.
The Government will continue to take a science-based approach to
protect the health of Canadians and the environment. Interested
parties and stakeholders are invited to comment on this update
until September 11, 2024.
Canada's current and
upcoming actions on PFAS
Canada is committed to tackling
"forever chemicals" and is among the first jurisdictions in the
world to address the risks from the full class of PFAS. The
Government remains committed to considering the restriction of the
class of PFAS in firefighting foams, as noted above in the Revised
Risk Management Scope. It continues to collect samples and monitor
concentrations of certain PFAS in humans and the environment.
Following the publication of the updated Draft State of PFAS
Report, the Government will issue an information collection
Notice under section 71 of CEPA. The Notice will target those
manufacturing, importing, and using certain PFAS to submit their
information to establish baseline data to inform future
activities.
Moreover, the Government plans to publish the final version of
the updated Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances this fall 2024
to further restrict the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale, and
import of the three PFAS subgroups that are already regulated:
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and
long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs).
To reduce exposure to PFAS, Health Canada released a draft
objective for PFAS in Canadian drinking water in February 2023. The final objective, based on
sound science, and with human health at the core, will be published
in the coming weeks.
The Government also continues to take further action to reduce
the environmental and human health risks from PFAS at known federal
contaminated sites. This work may include:
- Providing alternative drinking water sources
- Installing water treatment systems
- Implementing food consumption advisories
- Remediating specific areas of the site to remove PFAS hot
spots/source areas
- Long-term monitoring to determine adherence to developed
guidelines and screening values.
Quotes
"Our government is hard at work to protect the health of
Canadians and the environment by taking a precautionary
science-based approach. Given the thousands of substances in the
class of PFAS and their evolving uses, it is imperative that we
continue engaging Canadians and the scientific community as we
deliver new tools to secure a cleaner environment for all. The
information we've collected over the past years has allowed us to
inform our actions to protect the environment and human
health."
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of
Environment and Climate Change
"PFAS, or forever chemicals, are found nearly everywhere in the
environment and the research indicates that these chemicals can
have detrimental impacts on our health, including effects on the
liver, kidney, thyroid, reproduction and development, and immune
and nervous systems. Addressing PFAS as a class will allow the
Government of Canada to continue
to take concrete action to protect Canadians and their environment
from harmful exposure to these chemicals."
– The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health
Quick facts
- At home and abroad, Canada is
committed to further actively preventing chemical pollution, or
where not feasible, minimizing its associated risks, including when
caused by releases of endocrine disrupting chemicals or by
substances whose persistence in the environment is particularly of
concern, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
- PFAS are a class of thousands of human-made substances used in
surfactants, lubricants, and repellents for dirt, water, and
grease. PFAS can also be found in certain firefighting foams, food
packaging, drugs, cosmetics, sunscreens, pesticides, textiles (for
example, carpets, furniture, and clothing), non-stick cookware,
vehicles, and electronics.
- The broad use of PFAS, their extreme persistence in the
environment, their ability to move locally and over long ranges,
and their consequent ubiquitous presence in the environment have
resulted in continuous environmental and human exposure to multiple
PFAS.
- Potential health effects associated with PFAS include effects
on the liver, kidney, thyroid, immune system, nervous system,
metabolism and bodyweight, and reproduction and development.
- In wildlife, PFAS have been shown to cause toxicity to the
immune and nervous systems, and general effects on growth,
reproduction, and development.
- Humans can be exposed to PFAS from various sources, such as
food and food packaging, cosmetics, products available to
consumers, air, dust, and drinking water.
- Certain PFAS are readily absorbed into the body, and some can
accumulate.
- Canada already regulates a
number of PFAS via the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances
Regulations, 2012 and is putting in place amendments to further
restrict these substances:
- Following assessment activities completed in 2006 and 2012, the
manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale, and import of three
subgroups of PFAS (PFOS, PFOA, and LC-PFCAs) have been prohibited
in Canada, with limited
exemptions, through the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances
Regulations, 2012.
- The Government is also proposing taking action to protect
firefighters and reduce Canadians' exposure to PFAS in
drinking water and has also published an interim standard for PFAS
in biosolids.
- As an example of actions that the Government of Canada is taking to reduce PFAS in
Canada, the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency has published an interim standard for PFAS in
biosolids imported and sold as commercial fertilizer.
- The New Substances Notification regime in CEPA sets out
information to be submitted for new substances (that are not listed
on the Domestic Substances List). When the new substances meet
regulatory thresholds, they must be reported to the Government
before they are imported into or manufactured in Canada. This allows the Government to assess
them for potential risks to human health and the environment and,
if appropriate, decide to prohibit or impose control measures
before they enter Canada. New PFAS
that are proposed to be imported into or manufactured in
Canada are assessed under this
regime.
- Approximately 100 of the over 280 PFAS notified to the New
Substances program have been subject to actions under CEPA.
Related products
- Backgrounder: Updated State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances (PFAS) Report
- Share your thoughts: Updated Draft State of Per- and
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Report and Revised Risk
Management Scope
- Updated Draft State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
(PFAS) Report
- Revised Risk Management Scope for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances (PFAS)
- Information Sheet on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
(PFAS)
- Summary of public comments received on the Draft State of
PFAS Report and the Risk Management Scope for PFAS
Associated links
- Supporting Document: Ecological State of the Science Report on
Short-Chain Perfluorocarboxylic Acids, Short-Chain
Perfluorosulfonic Acids, Long-Chain Perfluorosulfonic Acids
- Updated Draft State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances (PFAS) Report
- Water Talk: Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in
Drinking Water
- Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Canadians:
Biomonitoring Report
- Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations,
2012
- Notice to Industry: Implementation of an Interim Standard for
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Commercial
Biosolids
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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada