Regulatory
REGULATORY NEWS FOR WEEK OF JULY 4, 2019
Canadian Federal News
This plan provides the list of regulations that Environment and Climate Change Canada expects to review within a 10 year period. It also includes a rationale summarizing the reason for the regulatory review, information on last date of review or amendment and a departmental contact point for each regulatory initiative. The first section of this plan provides the list of the 6 regulations that Environment and Climate Change Canada expects to initiate a regulatory review between April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.
The proposed Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits for Certain Products Regulations were published for a 60-day public comment period ending on August 28, 2019.
This screening assessment focuses on the zinc moiety and therefore considers all zinc compounds on the Domestic Substances List (DSL) that may release zinc as well as zinc in its elemental form, and zinc released in the environment in dissolved, solid or particulate forms. It includes, but is not limited to the 75 substances.
To achieve the proposed risk management objective and to work towards meeting the proposed environmental objective, the Government of Canada plans to implement a Code of practice under Section 54 of CEPA and an Environmental performance agreement (EPA) to reduce the total concentration or quantity of chlorhexidine in wastewater released from industrial facilities that formulate chlorhexidine-based products.
The proposed order adding DP and DBDPE to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 was published for a 60-day public comment period ending on August 28, 2019.
The report gives information about new drugs and medical devices that Health Canada approved for sale in Canada, the information we published about potential safety issues, and other accomplishments in 2018.
Considering all available lines of evidence presented in the screening assessment, it was concluded that cobalt and cobalt soluble compounds pose a risk to non-human organisms near sources of release and meet the environmental toxicity criterion as defined under paragraph 64(a) of CEPA. The screening assessment also concluded that the substances do not pose a risk to the broader integrity of the environment, and therefore do not meet the toxicity criterion under paragraph 64(b) of CEPA.
The Order adds N,N′-mixed phenyl and tolyl derivatives of 1,4-benzenediamin (BENPAT) to Schedule 1 of CEPA, thereby enabling risk management measures respecting preventive or control actions for toxic substances under CEPA to be proposed. Developing an implementation plan and an enforcement strategy and establishing service standards are only considered necessary when a specific risk management approach is proposed. As the Order does not include a specific risk management proposal, there is no requirement for implementation, enforcement or service standards.
- Domestic Substances List (DSL) additions published
- BizPaL simplifies access to information on permits and licences for Canadian businesses
BizPaL is an online service that benefits Canadian businesses by helping them identify which permits and licences they require and how to obtain them. Entrepreneurs simply select the business activities they plan to undertake, and BizPaL automatically generates a list of required permits and licences from all levels of government, along with basic information on each. The list also includes links to the various government websites where entrepreneurs can learn more and, in some cases, apply online.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today announced the signing of two Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) with the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department and with the New Zealand Customs Service regarding their respective Trusted Trader programs. The signings took place on the margins of the World Customs Organization Council Sessions in Brussels, Belgium.
Canadian Provincial News
The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and ILWU – Canada have formally ratified a new 5-year collective agreement that will continue to allow BC Ports to be a competitive, efficient and reliable gateway for the benefit of all Canadians.
Many of these amendments are minor adjustments to update language and spelling, but some may impact employers and workers in a variety of industries. Read on to find out about how these amendments may affect you or your workplace.
The Ontario government has launched a review of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to ensure workers and their families remain supported and protected in the workplace. The review will provide the government with new information regarding the board’s operations and how it compares to industry best practices.
Ontario has published the following amendments:
- O Reg 185/19 – Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents
- O Reg 186/19 – Industrial Establishments
- O Reg 189/19 – Designated Substances
- O Reg 191/19 – Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training
US News
EPA is announcing the release of an update to the Exposure Factors Interactive Resource for Scenarios Tool (ExpoFIRST), a companion tool to the Exposure Factors Handbook (EFH).
ExpoFIRST allows users to draw on data found in the 2011 edition of the EFH, as well as recent chapter updates, to develop user defined scenarios based on route of exposure, medium, receptors, timeframe, and dose metric for a contaminant of concern. The tool aims to maximize flexibility and transparency for exposure assessors.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking for public input on draft risk evaluations for cyclic aliphatic bromide cluster (HBCD) and 1,4-dioxane, two of the first ten chemicals undergoing risk evaluation under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This is the next step in the process required by TSCA toward final risk evaluations for these two chemicals.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released on June 21, 2019, a proposed rule intended to reduce exposures to certain chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT). EPA identified five chemicals pursuant to Section 6(h) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE); phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)), also known as tris(4-isopropylphenyl) phosphate; 2,4,6-tris(tert-butyl)phenol (2,4,6-TTBP); hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD); and pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP). The proposed rule would restrict or prohibit manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce for many uses of all of the chemicals except HCBD, for which EPA is proposing no regulatory action. For the other four chemicals, the proposed rule includes recordkeeping requirements, as well as additional downstream notification requirements for PIP (3:1). Publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register will begin a 60-day comment period.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced a proposed rule to streamline the process for men and women interested in entering the trucking workforce. The proposal is intended to allow states greater flexibility in conducting skill tests for individuals seeking a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The proposal would alleviate testing delays and eliminate needless inconvenience and expense to the CDL applicant—without compromising safety.
Effective June 28, 2019, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is adding p-chloro-α,α,α-trifluorotoluene (para-Chlorobenzotrifluoride, PCBTF) to the list of chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer for purposes of Proposition 65.
International News
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will start to evaluate 20 % of registration dossiers in each tonnage band to improve the compliance of REACH registrations. This will mean approximately 30 % of all registered chemicals will be checked.
All businesses face threats on an ongoing basis, ranging from unpredictable political landscapes to rapidly evolving technology and competitive disruption. IEC and ISO have developed a toolbox of risk management standards to help businesses prepare, respond and recover more efficiently. It includes a newly updated standard on risk assessment techniques.
When some of the world’s biggest companies value climate risks to their businesses at nearly one trillion dollars, the impact of climate change cannot be ignored. Businesses need to adapt, and a new International Standard has just been developed to help.
Other Relevant Information
Safety Share
(McGill OSS Weekly Digest) The sensation of itching used to be thought of as a sort of low-grade pain response, which was detected by the same nerves responsible for finding bodily injuries. Recent research, however, has identified special neurons that detect itching and release a signalling molecule called natriuretic polypeptide B (PPB). When this peptide was suppressed in mice, they showed no signs of itching whatsoever.
But, don’t get too excited about stopping itching in humans this way. Since PPB is also responsible for regulating blood pressure, perhaps best to avoid suppressing it in humans.
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