REGULATORY NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 1, 2023

• May 1^st is the start of Safety and Health Week

From May 1-6, 2023, workplaces across North America will celebrate Safety and Health Week to show their commitment and raise awareness about injury and illness prevention in the workplace, at home and in the community.

• Consultation: Restricting food advertising primarily directed at children

Health Canada is seeking comments on a policy update on restricting food advertising primarily directed at children on television and digital media. This policy will form the basis of a draft regulatory framework. The consultation will close to new input on June 12, 2023.

• Funding Finder

(Canadian Food Innovation Network – CFIN) Every company needs access to capital, but finding the right funding programs and grants for your business can be time-consuming and complicated. This is why CFIN is excited to partner with MentorWorks to provide CFIN Members with an easy-to-use interface to quickly find curated funding opportunities to grow your food business.

• Alberta revises Occupational Health and Safety Code

The revised OHS Code has been posted online. In addition, several resources describing highlights of the OHS Code changes are available in the Legislation changes section of the OHS Resource Portal. More resources will be added as they become available.

• Prepare for Ontario material handling safety inspections

Starting on May 1, 2023, and running to March 31, 2024, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development (MLITSD) will implement a focused inspection campaign on material handling at industrial workplaces. This will include all types of manufacturing operations from agriculture and automotive to wood and metal fabrication.

• Ontario revokes Regulations 340 and 357

This decision notice has been posted to advise the public that the government is no longer considering the proposal to revoke Regulation 340 (“Containers”) and Regulation 357 (“Refillable Containers for Carbonated Soft Drink”) under the Environmental Protection Act given that the Blue Box program is winding up on December 31, 2025 and the new Blue Box Regulation includes beverage containers in those regulations and is now in effect. The government will further consider the continuing need for Regulations 340 and 357 in light of the new Blue Box Regulation.

• Quebec spring thaw periods ending dates announced

Zone 1 ends April 28, 2023. Zone 2 ends May 19, 2023. Zone 3 ends May 26, 2023.

• New Brunswick employer who missed Form 100 deadline can still submit

WorkSafeNB is still accepting payroll submissions (Form 100s). If you would like to submit your payroll, please send the relevant information by email to [email protected].

• Northwest Territories requesting input on Employment Standards Act

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is seeking public feedback on the Employment Standards Act (Act).

• USDA Proposes Declaring Salmonella an Adulterant

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released today a proposed determination to declare Salmonella an adulterant in breaded stuffed raw chicken products when they exceed a very low level of Salmonella contamination. This announcement is a significant first step that builds on FSIS’ proposed regulatory framework to reduce Salmonella infections linked to poultry products, released in October 2022.

• Labeling of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives and Voluntary Nutrient Statements

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is reopening the comment period for the draft guidance entitled “Labeling of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives and Voluntary Nutrient Statements; Guidance for Industry,” which was announced in the Federal Register of February 23, 2023. The FDA is taking this action in response to requests for an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments. DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the draft guidance by July 31, 2023.

• Cosmetic Labeling Requirements and Facility Registration and Cosmetic Product Listing Program

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. This notice solicits comments on information collection provisions in FDA’s cosmetic labeling regulations and new statutory provisions for cosmetic labeling, facility registration, and products listing. DATES: Either electronic or written comments on the collection of information must be submitted by June 30, 2023.

• Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetic Products Listening Session

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a virtual listening session entitled “Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetic Products Listening Session.” The purpose of the listening session is to consult cosmetics manufacturers, including smaller businesses, consumer organizations, and other experts, to inform FDA efforts to develop regulations to establish good manufacturing practices for facilities that manufacture or process cosmetic products distributed in the United States. DATES: The virtual listening session will be held on June 1, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

• Listing of Substitutes Under the Significant New Alternatives Policy Program

Pursuant to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Significant New Alternatives Policy program, this action lists certain substances as acceptable, subject to use conditions, in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector for chillers–comfort cooling, residential dehumidifiers, residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps, and a substance as acceptable, subject to use conditions and narrowed use limits, in very low temperature refrigeration. DATES: This rule is effective May 30, 2023.

• Polyvinyl alcohol petition for rulemaking denied

The petition requests under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that EPA require manufacturers and processors of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) affiliated with EPA’s Safer Choice certification program to fund and conduct health and environmental safety testing using independent, third-party scientists. After careful consideration, the EPA has denied the TSCA petition and APA petition requests for reasons discussed in this document.

• Draft Proposed Principles of Cumulative Risk Assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act

This document discusses what cumulative risk assessment is and how it could be used in the scientific and regulatory context of TSCA.

• California: Notice of Adoption of Reference Exposure Levels for 1-Bromopropane

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is adopting new Reference Exposure Levels (RELs) for 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) for use in the Air Toxics Hot Spots Program. RELs are airborne concentrations of a chemical that are not anticipated to result in adverse noncancer health effects for specified exposure durations in the general population, including sensitive subpopulations. The adopted RELs cover different types of exposure to 1-BP in air: infrequent 1-hour exposures, repeated 8-hour exposures, and continuous long-term exposure.

• California launches consultation on draft cancer inhalation unit risk for ethylene oxide

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is releasing a draft document for public review that summarizes the carcinogenicity data and derives an updated cancer inhalation unit risk factor (IUR) for ethylene oxide. Cancer IURs are used to estimate lifetime cancer risks associated with inhalation exposure to a carcinogen. The consultation ends May 22, 2023.

• California considers regulating consumer products containing microplastics and PPD

State regulators announced plans on April 27, 2023 for two additions to the list of chemicals that may be regulated under the state’s Safer Consumer Products Program (SCP). The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) proposes adding two groups of chemicals, microplastics and para-Phenylenediamine (PPD) derivatives, to its Candidate Chemicals List (CCL), based on their reported impacts on human health and the environment. This announcement begins a public process that will help inform a potential regulatory proposal.

• Australia introduces process for Pre-Introduction Report covering new substances

New guidance on submitting a Pre-Introduction Report for ‘internationally-assessed for human health but not the environment’ is now available.

• European Chemicals Agency 2022 Annual Report published

The report highlights our contribution to the European Union’s priorities and the key outputs from the year. The Executive Summary gives an overview of our achievements and the challenges we faced in 2022. Take also a look at the interactive timeline with the year’s main news.

Safety Share

• Get workers up to date on new WHMIS training

(Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety – CCOHS) Canada’s Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) has changed as of December 2022. The need to train your workers on WHMIS so they have the knowledge they need to protect themselves and others from hazardous products in your workplace remains the same. Our updated online course reflects the new WHMIS and helps you fulfill your legislated requirement for education related to these products.

• Lockout and Tag Out: do it right with these expert tips

(WSPS) Lockout and tag out is not a new idea. It’s not a complicated idea. And, most of the time, it doesn’t even require specialized equipment. Yet, improper lockout and tag out—or none at all—continues to cause injuries in manufacturing workplaces each year.

• 10 ways to mark Safety and Health Week in your workplace

Keeping our workplaces safe is always a priority for safety champions, but this week is a reminder to recommit, make a plan, and make safety stick – whatever industry you work in. Looking for ideas? Here are 10 ideas to help you get started.

Have an event you would like to share? Please send details to [email protected].

• Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (BC COP-16) – May 1-12, 2023 Geneva

The sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (BC COP-16), the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-11) and the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-11) will be held in Geneva, from 1 to 12 May 2023.

• NYSCC Suppliers’ Day May 2-3, 2023 – New York City

The New York Society of Cosmetics Chemists will hold its Suppliers’ Day on May 2-3, 2023 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

• SIAL Canada – May 9^th to 11^th – Toronto, Ontario

SIAL Canada is the major international event, an exceptional showcase of the world’s food landscape, and an opportunity to forge solid business ties for hundreds of buyers and exporters.

• ENGAGE23 – May 9-11^th, 2023 – New Orleans, Louisiana

Achieving Excellence in Safety, Stewardship and Sustainability

• Bakery Showcase Trade Show & Conference – May 14-15, 2023 – Vancouver, BC

Take this opportunity to mark in your calendars next years Bakery Showcase, May 14, 15 2023 in Vancouver BC.

• REACH Conference 2023 – May 22-23, 2023 – Bratislava, Slovakia

Ekotox Centers together with partners and representatives of Cefic, Eurometaux, EPMF are all kindly willing to participate on the REACH Conference Bratislava 2023.

• LightFair 2023 – May 23 – 25, 2023 – New York City, NY

Taking place in New York City, LightFair 2023 is the must-attend architectural and commercial lighting event of the year.

• Food and Beverage Ontario Annual Conference May 25, 2023 – Steam Whistle Brewery

Ready for the Ontario food and beverage processing industry’s best annual event? It’s that time again to hear from industry experts and network with colleagues at Food and Beverage Ontario’s 9th Annual Conference. Location: Steam Whistle Brewery, 255 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3M9. Time: 11:30 am to 6:30 pm ET.

• New Approach Methodologies workshop – May31 – June1, 2023

The workshop will be an opportunity to bring stakeholders together and develop a common understanding of what new approach methodologies (NAMs), can achieve in the short and long term.

• NFPA Annual Conference & Expo June 19-21^st, 2023 – Las Vegas

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) will host its annual Conference & Expo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on June 19-21, 2023. This comprehensive event brings together thousands of the industry’s leading professionals who will attend more than 110 educational sessions addressing the latest issues, challenges, and trends in the world of fire, electrical, and life safety.

• Petrochem East – June 20-21, 2023 – Sarnia, Ontario

Over two days delegates will come to learn from dozens industry leaders and technical experts about the exciting opportunities within Canada’s downstream sector.

• ChemEdge 2023 – August 16-18, 2023 – The Woodlands, Texas

ChemEdge 2023 is bringing supply chain professionals all along the chemical distribution industry together to share best practices and business solutions.

• The CCOHS Forum is Back -September 26-27, 2023 – Halifax, NS

There is no other health and safety event like this in Canada. Make a plan to join us for this two-day national event that will bring together leaders, change makers, and subject experts representing government, labour, and workplaces, to share their knowledge and experience around current and emerging health and safety issues.

• World Food Forum – October 16 – 20, 2023 – Rome, Italy

The World Food Forum officially unveiled its theme for 2023: “Agrifood systems transformation accelerates climate action” and launched its activities for the year culminating in a series of global events, competitions  and actions taking place from 16-20 October at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).