July 3, 2006

Activists applaud after Canada bans two more toxins

Norma Greenway

Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA -- The federal government has served notice two chemicals used primarily in the production of flame retardants and stain repellents will be added to Canada's list of toxic substances.

The substances, which have increasingly become a target of health and environmental warnings, have been widely used in consumer products ranging from furniture upholstery and cable insulation to televisions, hair dryers and computers.

To rare kudos from a leading environmental group, the Conservative government quietly unveiled its plans regarding the two substances perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and polygrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the July 1 edition of the Canada Gazette, the official record of regulatory announcements.

Health Minister Tony Clement and Environment Minister Rona Ambrose were expected to formally announce the move today.

By declaring the chemicals toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the government will be able to begin making formal regulations to restrict, and in specified cases, eliminate the use of the chemicals. Asbestos, lead and mercury are among other substances on the list of toxic substances.

"The government of Canada is taking action to protect Canadians from exposure to harmful substances found throughout the environment," Ambrose said in a statement prepared for release today.

Rick Smith, executive director of the Toronto-based group Environmental Defence, cheered the government's action as a significant step.

"These are very nasty chemicals," Smith said in an interview. "Up until now they have been entirely unregulated in Canada. "Even though this is only the first step, the writing is now very much on the wall for these chemicals."

Smith added several companies have already stopped using them, and openly advertise their products as being free of flame retardants, for example.

PFOS are non-stick, stain-repellent chemicals, whereas PBDEs are flame retardants. They are not manufactured in Canada.

The government said the substances have been detected in many fish, fish-eating birds, and Arctic mammals far from known sources or manufacturing facilities, suggesting they are capable of widespread distribution in our environment.

Smith said his group has detected traces of the substances in the bodies of most Canadians it has tested.

He added he is particularly pleased the government has targeted deca, a popular and recent formulation of PBDE, for regulation, something, he said, most other countries have not yet done with the flame retardant.