Appendix B: Progress in Assessing and Managing Risks from Existing Substances

The requirements in CEPA 1999 for the risk assessment of existing substances are unique, and make Canada a world leader.

Environment Canada and Health Canada have made significant progress in implementing these requirements:

• All but two of the Priority Substances Lists 1 and 2 assessments established under the 1988 CEPA are finished.
• Of the 69 substances on Priority Substances Lists 1 and 2, 46 have been found to meet the criteria in section 64, 21 do not meet the section 64 criteria and two assessments have been suspended to collect necessary data.
• These assessments represent about 550 substances, because some Priority Substances Lists assessments addressed groups of substances.

• In order to develop procedures to implement the requirement to review decisions of other jurisdictions, the departments have reviewed about 80 foreign decisions to prohibit or restrict substances.

• The departments are on track to complete the categorization process by the 2006 deadline.
• They have developed and consulted on approaches for applying the categorization criteria to different types of substances (for example, organics, inorganics) and are seeking public comments on preliminary categorization decisions regarding about 15,000 Domestic Substances List substances.

• A pilot project for 123 substances will test screening assessment procedures. In 2004, the departments published draft screening assessments on two groups of compounds (representing almost 60 substances).

Canada's approach to risk management has emphasized pollution prevention.

• The numerous risk management activities taken under CEPA 1999 include
  • the development of regulations, guidelines, and codes of practice, and
  • new, innovative types of risk management measures, such as extended producer responsibility, pollution prevention planning and environmental emergency regulations that mandate provision of information and preparation and implementation of environmental emergency plans.
• A wide range of non-statutory measures have also been used, including
  • challenge, recognition and technical assistance and training programs, such as the highly successful EnviroClub.
• Environment Canada is also working through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment on Canada-wide Standards (12 such standards developed to date) and through other federal-provincial- territorial cooperative initiatives, including
  • a Canada-wide strategy on municipal wastewater effluents
  • industry-federal-provincial cooperative projects to reduce air emissions from oil refineries and pulp and paper mills.
• Following the development of the Policy Framework on Environmental Performance Agreements, the Minister of the Environment has also made increased use of such industry-government agreements.