Government of Canada updates efforts to protect the environment and communities by addressing “forever chemicals”

From: Environment and Climate Change Canada

News release

July 15, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec

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.

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Contacts

Kaitlin Power
Senior Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
819-230-1557
Kaitlin.Power@ec.gc.ca

Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca

Christopher Aoun
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health
613-291-4176

Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
media@hc-sc.gc.ca

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