Regulatory
REGULATORY NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 27, 2023
COVID-19 has changed the way we work. While vaccination has dramatically reduced COVID’s spread, it and other communicable diseases, like norovirus and influenza, continue to pose risks to ALL workplaces, particularly in the fall and winter months when we’re increasingly indoors. To help, WorkSafeNB has developed Working Safely Amid COVID-19 and other Communicable Diseases and an accompanying four-step approach and template for developing a communicable disease prevention plan. This Roadmap was developed by the ISO Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) on Smart Farming, a group of ISO experts under the joint leadership of ANSI and DIN, the respective ISO members for the USA and Germany. As part of the work, 150 experts from 20 countries analysed the standardization landscape along the entire food value chain. Nine thematic areas were examined in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): crop production, livestock, urban farming, terminology and semantics, social aspects, supply chains, original equipment manufacturers, climate adaptation, environment and data. (Lesley Henderson, November 23, 2023) Does the prediction that there could be “more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050” concern you? How about reports that “we eat a credit card’s worth of plastic per week”? These are some of the “facts” about plastic that are cited by the media. They are certainly compelling soundbites and help to focus public and policy attention on the pressing topic of plastic pollution, but their scientific basis is far from robust. The scientists whose findings were used to support the “more plastic than fish” claim refuted this. But one scientist who worked on the original source the estimation is based on has now updated his figures. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is seeking comments on the following proposed new single ingredient feed (SIF) description for 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP). The consultation closes December 16, 2023. The Food Directorate concluded that information related to the safety and efficacy of chitosan from white button mushrooms (A. bisporus) supports its use as an antibacterial agent and an antifungal agent in the foods of interest. Therefore, Health Canada proposes to enable this use of chitosan from white button mushrooms (A. bisporus) by adding the entries shown in the table below to Part 2 and Part 3 of the List of Permitted Preservatives. As a final update to the two bulletins published on August 18, 2023, and August 30, 2023, an agreement has been reached between the competent authorities of Canada and the United States by which Canadian registered dealers holding a valid Class B registration certificate issued by the Office of Controlled Substances, Health Canada, may continue exportations to the United States without pre-export notifications or export permits. Please see attached the Chemical Precursors Bulletin. The Public Health Agency of Canada is leading Vision 2030, an initiative to develop a vision for what public health assessment in Canada could look like by 2030. Health Canada wants to hear from you to make sure that the vision is informed by diverse perspectives from across Canada. The Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health (the ministers) assessed information on 13 substances (8 chemicals and polymers and 5 living organisms) and determined that they meet the criteria for addition to the Domestic Substances List, as set out in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). Therefore, under the authority of sections 87 and 112 of CEPA, the Minister of the Environment (the Minister) is adding these 13 substances to the Domestic Substances List. Also, under the authority of section 66 of CEPA, the Minister of the Environment is disclosing the explicit chemical identity of 33 substances by moving them from Part 3 of the Domestic Substances List to Part 1. The Minister is also updating the masked names of 11 substances on Part 3 as well as the identifiers of 5 living organisms on Part 5 and one living organism on part 7 of the Domestic Substances List. The New editions of the following standards are being developed by the Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) Technical Committee on Cylinders, Spheres, and Tubes for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods and are expected to be published in 2024. The consultation closes January 20, 2024.
Amberg Corp. (Amberg) is an environmental and regulatory consulting company. It provides services to companies for compliance with greenhouse gas emissions regulations in Alberta, including third-party verifications and peer reviews with respect to compliance reports, emission offset projects and facility benchmark applications. Amberg employed Kiiker from 2010 to September 2021. She was not qualified to complete peer reviews under Alberta legislation at the time. Kiiker used the digital signature of a former Amberg employee on paperwork for 10 projects providing third-party verification reports, including peer reviews. Kiiker also posed as the former employee by using their business email address to make it appear as though they had completed the projects. Date: Wednesday November 29, 2023 5:00 pm PT. Introduced as part of the B.C. government’s Bill 41, starting on January 1, 2024, employers and workers will have a legal duty to cooperate in timely and safe return to work, and certain employers will be required to maintain employment with injured workers in specific circumstances. This virtual session will review the legislation and the new obligations for employers and workers in B.C. You’ll also learn about the value of recovery and return to work following an injury. After the presentation, you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions. WorkSafeBC is requesting stakeholder feedback on the proposed ELs for 24 substances. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule to further protect people from exposure to two chemicals that are toxic, remain in the environment for long periods of time, and accumulate in the body. Both decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) and phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals that were subject to risk management rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). California and Quebec released the results of the 37th joint cap-and-trade auction of carbon allowances from both jurisdictions. The final numbers include sales figures and settlement prices for 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 through 2023 (current) and 2026 (advance) vintages. The national enforcement authorities in 29 countries checked over 3 500 biocidal products. Overall, 37 % of the checked biocides were non-compliant with at least one of the checked legal requirements. The European Commission is renewing the approval of propiconazole as an active substance for use in biocidal products of product-type 8 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council Safety Share Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, spreads among wild aquatic birds but can also infect domestic poultry and mammals. While human infection is rare, the A(H5N1) strain can cause severe disease. Symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches. In severe cases, A(H5N1) can cause pneumonia, seizures and death. That’s why it’s important to control the disease and protect workers who care for or handle mammals, including poultry farm, veterinary and wildlife workers, and others at greater risk. Have an event you would like to share? Please send details to [email protected]. As Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada begins to organize logistics around the Wrap-up Conference, we ask that parties interested in attending please reply to this message by September 8, 2023 email to: [email protected] The Forum is an annual event and brings together scientists and public and private stakeholders with expertise on endocrine disruptors to exchange information and best practices, identify challenges and build synergies. This year the Forum will include sessions on regulatory updates by the European Commission and Agencies; global developments; research; national, regional and local initiatives; and a specific focus on PFAS. 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. 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.Advocacy
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