Environment committee  Thank you for giving me the opportunity--on very short notice, however--to talk about an old problem with known solutions, but perhaps a timely problem for Canada and for Quebec. I'll make it very simple. If you look at the screen, I've subdivided into two groups all microscopic

Environment committee  It's because it is a problem. John Carey's estimates and mine are no different. In the Laurentians there's no agriculture, and you can find lots of lakes with excessive phosphorus problems. If you attempt to trace that excessive problem to sources, you come back to septic system

Environment committee  No, no. It's far--

Environment committee  It would be far simpler to ban phosphates from any household products, as some American states and some European countries have done already.

Environment committee  I don't know about the Swiss example in detail, but I do know that phosphorous is banned in most domestic products, as it is as well in a number of American states. We know—and I'm speaking as a scientist—that, in the lakes in the Laurentians, there is a direct link between the

Environment committee  Hello. I am Richard Carignan, speaking to you from Montreal.

Environment committee  Is it my time to speak? I will address you in French.

Environment committee  I was asked to talk about Bill C-469. I was not asked to discuss agriculture or other sources of phosphorus. I believe the discussion has gone well beyond the subject. I intend to focus on the subject of today's meeting. I have read Bill C-469; it strikes me as very naive. On ha

Environment committee  I would like to comment on that. Phosphorus plays exactly the same role in both dishwashing and laundry detergents. This lady does not seem to have a complete grasp of her subject. The chemical role is exactly the same. I would also like to take this opportunity to commend the f

Environment committee  I would just like to add that there are automatic dishwashing soaps already on the market that do not contain phosphates. There are replacements out there that do not harm the environment.

Environment committee  There are sodium citrate compounds that are an effective replacement for phosphorus. Tests have been conducted and the results were published in a number of Quebec and Canadian journals in recent months. Some of these products were considered to be as effective as detergents cont

Environment committee  I agree with it where hospitals are concerned, but for all other commercial facilities, I do not.

Environment committee  In hospitals and certain commercial facilities, it is very important that dishes be properly washed. I agree with the industry that, for that very reason, the best product is phosphorus. This is not as important an issue where household use is concerned, because there is no risk

Environment committee  As regards restaurants and hotels, I think that needs to be discussed. For the universities, it's not as important an issue. In any case, I would certainly exempt hospitals. There are always trade-offs and, since a choice has to be made, I would say that, at the very least, hospi

Environment committee  It is not just important, it is essential, if you want your bill to work, because trace amounts of phosphorus are found…