Transcript Chemicals Management Plan Consultation with Stakeholders

Presented by the New Brunswick Lung Association
In partnership with Health Canada
Brief Background and Process
NBLA contract to engage CSOs on the assessment and management of 9 chemical
groupings
Goals are to increase awareness of the CMP, to engage Canadians, and to provide
input to the Government of Canada from CSOs
Today’s Webinar Agenda:
• HBCDs– the process for these was begun before this engagement contract. They are
not part of the 9 chemical groupings.
• High level overview of chemicals, Screening Assessment including sources, risks, and
proposed Risk Management Plan
• Input from participants and dialogue
•Identification of recommendations to forward to Health Canada
HexabromocyclododecaneHBCD -What is it?
• Belongs to a class of chemicals referred to as flame retardants
• Used in polystyrene foam insulation used in building
construction materials, in textiles and products such as glue,
paint, plastics and electronics
HBCD: How is it released and how are
Canadians exposed?
• May be released to air, water, or soils during production,
manufacturing, transportation, improper handling or storage, and from
the disposal of materials
• Exposure to humans may occur through contact with contaminated air,
water and soil, household dust, food, breast milk and directly from
treated consumer products
Hexabromocyclododecane- HBCD Potential Harm Assessment
• HBCD has demonstrated toxicity in both aquatic and terrestrial
species, with significant adverse effects on survival, reproduction and
development reported in algae, daphnids and annelid worms. Recent
studies indicate potential impacts on the normal functioning of liver
enzymes and thyroid hormones in fish.
• Exposures of the general population of Canada to HBCD may occur
through oral and inhalation routes. Known sources of human
exposure to HBCD include environmental media (ambient air, water,
soil), household dust, indoor air, human milk, and HBCD-treated
consumer products. HBCD may potentially be released from the
matrix of a product over time through abrasion and usage.
Hexabromocyclododecane- HBCD Potential Harm Assessment
• The human health hazard risk characterization for HBCD was based
primarily upon the assessment of the European Union. The results of a
limited database indicate that HBCD is not genotoxic, nor carcinogenic,
and did not cause systemic toxicity in a chronic oral feeding study in rats.
Other effects included decreased fertility and a weak hypothyroidism in
pregnant dams and, at high doses, reversible hyperthyroidism in offspring
from weaning to adulthood. The highest estimated intake of HBCD is
expected to be in infants from ingestion of human milk and the mouthing
of consumer products.
• However, based on the available information, it was concluded that
HBCD is not entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or
under conditions that constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to
human life or health.
Hexabromocyclododecane- HBCD Potential Harm Assessment
Summary:
HBCD has the potential to remain in the environment for a long time,
accumulate in organisms and cause harm to organisms.
The Government of Canada has concluded that HBCD is entering the
environment in a quantity or under conditions that constitute a danger
to the environment and meets the criteria for virtual elimination.
The Government of Canada has concluded that HBCD is not harmful to
the health of the general population at current levels of exposure.
Hexabromocyclododecane- HBCD Proposed Risk Management
For all of the chemicals screened under the Chemicals Management
Plan, if a substance is found to meet any of the risk criteria set out in
section 64 of the Act, the Ministers can propose to:
• take no further action with respect to the substance,
•add the substance to the Priority Substances List (PSL) for further
assessment, or
•recommend the addition of the substance to the List of Toxic
Substances in Schedule 1 of the Act.
•Note: in certain circumstances, the Ministers must make a specific
proposal either to recommend addition to the List of Toxic Substances
and to recommend the implementation of virtual elimination.
Hexabromocyclododecane- HBCD Proposed Risk Management
•Based on the conclusion of the final screening assessment, the
Government of Canada proposes to ad HBCD to the virtual elimination
list.
•HBCD is being considered for addition to two international agreements:
the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and
the Persistent Organic Pollutant Protocol of the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-range
Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP).
•The Screening Assessment Report on Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)
is available on the CMP website and the Proposed Risk Management
Approach for Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) was published in
November 2011. There is a 60-day public comment period on the
Consultation Document from October 3, 2012 to December 2, 2012.
Hexabromocyclododecane- HBCD Proposed Risk Management
An alternative to HBCD foam applications has been developed and is now
becoming available.
•
• With respect to the HBCD alternative, a Design for the Environment alternatives
assessment of HBCD is underway by the United States Environmental Protection
Agency, as part of the HBCD Action Plan (Annex A). In Canada, any alternative
substance would undergo assessment through either the Existing Substances
Program, or New Substances Program to determine the potential impacts of
substances to the health of Canadians or the environment.
• The Government of Canada is proposing to implement regulations to prohibit
the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale, import and export of HBCD and products
containing HBCD.
• This will be achieved through the addition of HBCD to the Prohibition of Certain
Toxic Substances Regulations, 2005 (SOR/SOR/2005-41) [EC, 2005], herein referred
to as “Prohibition Regulations”.
•
Hexabromocyclododecane- HBCD Proposed Risk Management
• To ensure Canada meets its international obligations, the addition of
HBCD to the Export Control List (Schedule 3 of CEPA 1999) will be
evaluated in due course to consider the implementation of export
restrictions. Separate consultations will be undertaken for the export
controls on HBCD and products containing HBCD when deemed timely
and appropriate.
• Currently, the coming into force date of December 31, 2016 is being
considered.