Melamine in Milk

The journal Environmental Health Perspectives is publishing an article on the incident in September 2008 in which thousands of Chinese citizens fell ill from consuming milk that had melamine deliberately added to it (in order to boost its protein content). The authors discuss factors that contributed to the severity of the incident, including delays in reporting and the complexity of international trade of food products and ingredients. They emphasize the need for rapid international collaboration, data sharing, and use of common testing and reporting methods to manage future food-safety incidents. The link to the article is here.

Asbestos in Canada

Asbestos continues to be in the Canadian news. Earlier this year, federal Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff stated that Canada should stop exporting chrysotile asbestos (which is still mined in Quebec). In November, the Canadian Press indicated that the number of new cases of mesothelioma in Canada have increased 67 percent over a decade and a half. This rate is predicted to continue to increase as Canada feels the residual impact of its asbestos boom in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Asbestos is no longer used in Canada.

Toy Recall in Canada

At the end of November, Health Canada announced a recall of more than 26,000 Melissa & Doug wooden toys after testing found excessive barium in the surface paint. The toys were made in China. The Globe and Mail picked up the story on November 24, 2009 - poor timing for the company given the holiday season.

CMP: Batch 6 Assessments Released

The federal government recently released the final assessments for the 14 substances in Batch 6 of the Chemicals Management Plan. Of the 14 substances, only benzyl chloride (an industrial chemical found as an impurity in household and personal care products, disinfectants and industrial cleaners, as well as a chemical used in the production of benzyl alcohol and benzyl butyl phthalate) was found to meet the CEPA definition of toxic. Additional time is required to complete four assessments in Batch 6 - Disperse Orange 29, Solvent Red 23, Acid Red 111 and BPAOPB. The completion of Batch 6 marks the mid-point of the Chemicals Management Plan.

Bisphenol-A: Recent News

Lots more Bisphenol-A (BPA) media coverage and regulatory developments - starting with an article in this past Thursday's Montreal Gazette reporting on a University of Sherbrooke study that examined the impact of BPA on cytotrophoblasts (cells that attach the fetus to the uterus). The study results were published in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. There are a couple of other recent developments relating to BPA. First, the World Health Organization's Food Safety Program will hold its October 2010 meeting of scientific experts to discuss BPA in food packaging in Ottawa. Second, the US Food and Drug Administration had planned to make an announcement on BPA and food safety by the end of November, but did not. The delay was covered by media across the US, including this article in the Los Angeles Times.

Updating Guidelines to Assess Toxicity

The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) recently published a special series of workshop papers in the journal Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. The Workshop brought together experts from academia, government, and industry to reach consensus on the significance of advancements in the understanding of the behavior and potential impact of POPs and PBTs in the environment, the current understanding of the state of the science, as well as recommendations for policy-makers to improve and coordinate national and international regulations on the issue. A link to the papers can be found here.

Canada: Environmental Commissioner Report

Last week, Canada's Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development made his fall report to Parliament. The report contained four chapters, the second of which was devoted to an examination of Canada's toxic substances regulatory regime. The link to the chapter can be found here. The chapter was based on an audit of seven substances on the Canadian Toxic Substances List (lead, mercury, DEHP, PCBs, dioxins and furans, dichloromethane, and PBDEs) and involved an audit of how Environment Canada and Health Canada have managed the risks associated with these substances. Among the conclusions and recommendations from the Commissioner are: (a) the need for comprehensive risk management strategies for mercury and lead; and (b) concern about lack of cautionary labelling re: chronic (as opposed to acute) risks associated with consumer products.

Bisphenol-A: Recent Coverage

The ongoing media coverage of BPA continues. The most recent coverage deals with a study of 634 male workers in China exposed to high levels of BPA in the workplace. The study was the first to examine the impact of prolonged occupational exposure to BPA on humans. The five-year study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, revealed that the men exposed to BPA were four times more likely to have erectile dysfunction, and seven times more likely to have ejaculation problems. The study itself recognizes that the results probably have no application to populations exposed to low levels of BPA. Nevertheless, the study results were picked up by many print media outlets in North America.

Atrazine: US EPA to Commence Assessment this Fall

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced on October 7, 2009 that they were going to commence a comprehensive health assessment of the pesticide atrizine (one of the most widely used agricultural pesticides in the United States). Health Canada carried out a re-evaluation of atrizine in 2007, and the non-pesticide uses of atrizine were the subject of a screening level assessment completed earlier this year.

Pesticides in Canada: Jurisdictional Issue Regarding Sale of Prohibited Products

In Canada, jurisdiction over environmental matters is not exclusively assigned to one level of government. Rather, environmental regulations on a particular topic can be found at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government. Nowhere has this fact become more apparent than in the regulation of pesticides. A number of years ago, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld a municipal by-law (in Hudson, Quebec) that banned the application of pesticides for "cosmetic" purposes. Following that ruling, many Canadian municipalities enacted similar by-laws. The federal government in Canada regulates the manufacture and import of pesticides in Canada, while the province regulates the application of pesticides and licences professional applicators. Thus, many municipalities have banned the cosmetic use of pesticides that have been approved by the federal government for use in Canada. The result - some pesticides approved for use in Canada by the federal government are now (legally) on store shelves in municipalities that ban the application of those pesticides. A CBC News story recently pointed this out by covering efforts by an environmental NGO (Western Canada Wilderness Committee) to have this "loophole" closed. Products were on sale at the local Canadian Tire store.

Bisphenol-A: UNC Study Regarding Early Childhood Behaviour Drawing Plenty of Press

A University of North Carolia study examining the link between exposure to Bisphenol A ("BPA") during pregnancy and early childhood behaviour has drawn a fair amount of press (including an October 6th Canadian Press article and an October 7th article in the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel). The study (published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives) examined BPA levels in urine samples from 249 pregnant women in Cincinnati at 16 and 26 weeks pregnancy, and again at birth. This is the first study to examine the association between prenatal BPA exposure and childhood behavior. The study concluded that there was no association between mean urinary BPA concentrations and behavior scores among all children. However, it did conclude that there was an association between mean prenatal BPA concentrations and externalizing behavioural scores in females (but not boys). The American Chemistry Council put out a press statement in reply (found here) stating that there are significant limitations in the study design, in part due to the small size of the study group and the failure to assess other causes of behavioural issues.

Chemicals: Section 71 CEPA Notice Published

The Canadian government published a Notice under section 71 of CEPA (Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999) requesting manufacturing and importation information related to approximately 500 chemicals. The requested information relates to calendar year 2008, and is due in March 2010.

Biotech: Section 71 CEPA Notice Issued

The Canada Gazette today contained a section 71 Notice under CEPA (Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999) that kicks off the government's information gathering process for 44 animate substances manufactured or imported into Canada. The information to be provided by March 2010 relates to amounts manufactured or imported into Canada in calendar year 2008.

Organotins: Two Proposed to be Added to TSL

Today's Canada Gazette contained a proposed Order to add tributyltins and tetrabutyltins to the Toxic Substances List under CEPA (Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999). These were assessed (along with seven other organotins) under the New Substances Program, and the results of the assessment published in August of this year. Comments are available on the proposed Order until December 2, 2009.

Chemicals Management Plan: Five Substances to be Added to TSL

Today, the Canadian Government published proposed Orders to add five substances to the Toxic Substances List (three from Batch 4 and two from Batch 5 of the Chemicals Management Plan. The five substances are: diethyl sulfate (a man-made organic chemical widely used to manufacture other chemicals used in a variety of manufacturing processes); dimethyl sulfate (a substance used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry to prepare dyes, agricultural chemicals, drugs and specialty products); BNST (a substance used in engine oil and industrial lubricants); acrylamide (used to produce polymers used as a binding, thickening or mixing agent in grout, cement, water treatment, pesticides, cosmetics and food manufacturing); and TCEP (a plasticizer and viscosity regulator with flame retardent properties used in textiles, furniture, electronics, and automobiles). Comments on the proposed Orders are due December 2, 2009.

VOCs: Regulations Limit VOCs in Paints

Today's Canada Gazette contained the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits for Architectural Coatings Regulations (made under CEPA). The Regulations place VOC concentration limits on 53 categories of architectural coatings (i.e., the finished products). The Regulations prohibit the manufacture, sale or offer for sale or import of architectural coatings with concentrations of VOCs in excess of the category-specific limits. There is a phase-in period for the Regulations, allowing for product sell-through.

US EPA: Major Regulatory Announcement

Yesterday, the US EPA released a set of "Essential Principles for Reform of Chemicals Management Legislation". These principles will be aimed at revising the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The EPA also posted characterization information on 100 high production volume substances, and indicated that in the in the interim, the EPA would begin analysis of six high-profile chemicals that have been the subject of recent regulatory scrutiny (e.g., Bisphenol-A, phthalates, PBDEs, perfluorinated compounds, some parafins, and benzidine dyes and pigments). The EPA is gathering data from industry on the six chemicals in order to assess their safety and develop exposure management plans. More information can be found here.

Fluoride in Drinking Water: Debate in Region of Waterloo

Water fluoridation is an issue that has arisen from time to time in a number of Canadian municipalities. Councillors in the City of Waterloo voted yesterday to begin discussions with the Region of Waterloo on the design of a public process to consider the pros and cons of fluoride in drinking water. The issue of water fluoridation will be the subject of a plebiscite in the 2010 municipal election in Waterloo. Provincial legislation permits municipalities to add fluoride.

Media: OpEd on "Risk Communications"

Here is the link to an opinion piece by Howard Mains (Co-President of Tactix Government Consulting Inc.) that appeared in today's National Post.

PCBs: US EPA Provides Guide on PCBs in Caulk

This past week, the US Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") provided issued guidance documents to building owners and school administrators aimed at reducing exposure to PCBs that may be found in caulk in buildings constructed or renovated between 1950 and 1978. The EPA also stated that it was undertaking new research on the risks associated with caulk containing PCBs, which would enable the EPA to make further recommendations regarding long-term management of the issue.