Regulatory
REGULATORY NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2024
Health Canada has approved an animal-free dairy protein derived through precision fermentation. In 2022, Health Canada received a submission to allow the sale of β-lactoglobulin protein produced from a novel yeast strain, Komagataella phaffii yRMK-66. This protein is the same as β-lactoglobulin in whey protein from cow’s milk. Following this assessment, it was determined that the β-lactoglobulin protein produced in this yeast strain does not pose a greater risk to human health than whey protein from cow’s milk that is currently available on the Canadian market. In addition, Health Canada also concluded that this β-lactoglobulin protein is no different in nutritional value compared to whey protein from cow’s milk. β-lactoglobulin produced in this novel yeast strain may produce the same allergic response as milk when it is consumed, so all products containing it will be labelled to indicate that it contains a milk allergen. The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $13 million through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) to help free-standing meat processors and abattoirs in the province make upgrades to increase their productivity and efficiency and maintain Ontario’s high food safety standards. Some people with peanut allergy may have an allergic reaction to foods containing ingredients that come from peas, like pea protein or pea protein isolate. Please speak with your allergist about the safety of eating products containing pea protein if you have concerns. Packaging changes for the impacted products began at the end of 2023 and the transition to the new packaging is expected to be completed by March 2024. In a significant step forward in an ongoing commitment to enhancing sustainability and transparency in Canada’s agri-food sector, the National Index on Agri-Food Performance has entered a new phase with the launch of the Centre for Agri-Food Benchmarking. The Centre, housed at the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), will accelerate and formalize the work of the unprecedented coalition of 137 partners supporting the National Index. This milestone builds upon the success of the Index pilot, the first agri-food sustainability index in Canada, launched in May 2023. The Index is being advanced by the coalition to respond to the global imperative to reduce emissions, address the crisis of climate change, and deliver on a breadth of sustainability expectations. Food fraud prevention and detection remains a challenging problem, despite recent developments in regulatory and auditing requirements. In 2012, the United States Pharmacopeial Convention created a database of food ingredient fraud. The objective of this research was to report on updates made to the database structure and to provide an updated analysis of food fraud records. The restructured database was relational and included four tables: ingredients, adulterants, adulteration records, and references. Four adulteration record types were created to capture the variety of information that can be found in public food fraud reports. The Government of Canada is working to implement the modernized Act through several initiatives that include the development of various instruments, such as frameworks, policies, strategies, regulations, and processes. There will be opportunities for public input and participation in these different initiatives. List of public consultation opportunities: The Consumer Product Safety Program of Health Canada would like to invite you to a Joint E-Commerce Webinar with Health Canada and US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This webinar is in English only. Representatives from the U.S. CPSC, Health Canada, and the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) will jointly present on a series of new rules and requirements of particular interest to the e-commerce community, as well as cover the importing processes and procedures for each country. A recording of the webinar will be available on the US CPSC YouTube Channel for a month following the webinar. When: Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm EST. the Government of Canada begins its public consultation on the development of a right to a healthy environment implementation framework under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The Government is also engaging Canadians on environmental justice and racism to address the fact that certain communities have been disproportionately affected by environmental hazards, like pollution, toxic waste, landfills, and dumps. This Standard sets out requirements for the selection, use, and care of respirators and for the administration of an effective respiratory protection program in the workplace. This Standard is applicable to the selection, use, and care of respirators for non-emergency and emergency situations. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2024 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria spiral-bound handbook is now available for purchase. The 2024 handbook identifies driver, vehicle, hazardous materials/dangerous goods and administrative out-of-service conditions/violations and contains hundreds of photos of real-life violations.
The SafeWorkBC Policy, Regulation and Research Department is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to Part 3, Rights and Responsibilities, section 3.01 — General risk management, of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The prime contractor − or the employer, if there is no prime contractor − must provide first aiders, first aid supplies, first aid equipment, first aid kits and a first aid room as required by Section 178 and Schedule 2, Tables 4 to 7 of the OHS Code. WorkSafeNB wants to hear from stakeholders to help understand the economic and business impacts of proposed amendments to General Regulation 91-191 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized amendments to the 2018 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Fees Rule that will strengthen the agency’s ability to successfully implement the law in a sustainable way, will improve the efficiency of EPA’s chemical reviews, and ensure these reviews result in necessary health and safety protections. The amendments update how EPA will recover authorized costs of the law’s implementation and ensure that collected fees provide the Agency with 25% of authorized costs consistent with direction from Congress. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to amend its regulation under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) by adding nine specific per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), their salts, and their structural isomers, to its list of hazardous constituents. These nine PFAS are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA or GenX), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA). EPA’s criteria for listing substances as hazardous constituents under RCRA require that they have been shown in scientific studies to have toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic effects on humans or other life forms. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of a final document titled, “Integrated Science Assessment for Lead” (EPA/600/R-23/375). The document was prepared by the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA) within EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) as part of the review of the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) lead national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and represents an update of the 2013 Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Lead (EPA/600/R-10/075F). The final lead ISA, in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, will provide the scientific foundation for EPA’s decisions on the adequacy of the current lead NAAQS and, if appropriate, on potential alternative standards. This proposed rule would amend the definition of hazardous waste applicable to corrective action to address releases from solid waste management units at RCRA-permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facilities and make related conforming amendments, thereby providing clear regulatory authority to fully implement the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) statutory requirement that permitted facilities conduct corrective action to address releases not only of substances listed or identified as hazardous waste in the regulations but of any substance that meets the statutory definition of hazardous waste. The proposed rule would also provide notice of EPA’s interpretation that the statutory definition of hazardous waste applies to corrective action for releases from solid waste management units at permitted and interim status facilities. Comments must be received on or before 11 March 2024. (IEEE Computer Society Digital Library) This research delves into the intricate dynamics of food pricing and fraud within European Union member countries. We analyze the complex interplay between food categories and countries, unraveling unique pricing trends and potential anomalies. By computing inflation-adjusted expected prices and sourcing real prices, we gain a deep understanding of inflation’s impact on actual food costs. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is inviting comments regarding the implications of adding a new hazard to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) which is already on the Authorisation List. The consultations are open until 7 May 2024. – Melamine; – Bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate covering any of the individual isomers and/or combinations thereof (TBPH); – S-(tricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6]deca-3-en-8(or 9)-yl) O-(isopropyl or isobutyl or 2-ethylhexyl) O-(isopropyl or isobutyl or 2-ethylhexyl) phosphorodithioate; – Diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide; and – Barium diboron tetraoxide. The Commission requested the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to prepare an investigation report on aromatic brominated flame retardants, that will support the Commission decide whether to request ECHA to prepare a restriction dossier. The objective of this call for evidence is to gather information on the sectors where aromatic brominated retardants are used, materials, concentrations, end-uses, volumes, information on releases as well as end-of-life information per use. Safety Share (CAA) And while the majority of Canadians prepare for winter by installing winter tires and leaving extra distance between their vehicle and the one in front of them, CAA wants to remind all drivers of other less-practiced tips to help make your winter drive a safe one. Have an event you would like to share? Please send details to [email protected]. Businesses needed to re-evaluate health and safety protocols and the importance of continuing to educate workers and address issues that are relevant to today’s workforce remains a priority. Some of the biggest challenges faced include supply chain disruptions, resource limitations, staff shortages/high turnover, and supporting a psychologically safe workplace. The next European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Conference will take place on 28 February 2024 in Helsinki. As we are preparing the programme, we want to hear what would be the most important topics for you. So, fill in our short survey and help us shape a relevant and inspiring stakeholder event. The 2024 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will take place March 10–14, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit the 2024 website to view upcoming deadlines. Weaving together technical application presentations with case studies and project overviews, ensure your seat at the table for this important plant operations conference! Plan to attend Canada’s premier environmental event, as it returns to a fully in-person format that is designed to meet your compliance needs, and connect you to experts and peers. The Baking Association of Canada’s national baking industry event will feature a bustling trade show and conference, inspirational speakers, education sessions, competitions and demonstrations and countless opportunities to network and benefit your business. Collaborate and network with thousands of your colleagues, experts from several industries, and NFPA staff on life, fire, and electrical safety innovation at the 2024 NFPA Conference & Expo.Advocacy
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