Evidence of meeting #14 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was products.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Mark Winfield  Director, Environmental Governance, Pembina Institute
Matthew Bramley  Director, Climate Change, Pembina Institute
Shannon Coombs  Executive Director, Representative for Formulated Products Industry Coalition, Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association
Hugh Benevides  Counsel, Canadian Environmental Law Association, PollutionWatch
Al Hamilton  Chemical Business Manager, Sifto Canada, Salt Institute of Canada
Lynda Collins  Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
Michael Teeter  Consultant, Principal, Hillwatch Inc., Salt Institute of Canada
Charles Ethier  Director General, Product Safety Programme, Department of Health

11 a.m.

Director General, Product Safety Programme, Department of Health

Charles Ethier

It is a fair way. The risk assessments that will have to be done will be a shared responsibility. There will be a requirement for industry, or whoever claims ownership of a particular substance, to provide the departments with information that will allow us to conduct the appropriate assessment to determine whether or not there are either environmental impacts or health impacts to manage.

11 a.m.

Executive Director, Representative for Formulated Products Industry Coalition, Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association

Shannon Coombs

I would again like to point out that the substances that are used in Food and Drugs Act products have been assessed under the Food and Drugs Act. They've either gone through a pre-market notification and assessment or a notification. The actual end product has been determined by Health Canada to be safe, and a lot of these products have DIN numbers put on them prior to being allowed to be for sale. We're strictly talking about ingredients.

11 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

I'm going to flip the question back to you then. Have they not then already demonstrated sufficient safety for the product?

11:05 a.m.

Director General, Product Safety Programme, Department of Health

Charles Ethier

Under the Food and Drugs Act, they've received a health assessment. However, they have not been assessed for their impact on the environment and the indirect impact on human health as a result of being exposed through the environment. These assessments will have to be conducted so that they can all be compliant with the act.

11:05 a.m.

Counsel, Canadian Environmental Law Association, PollutionWatch

Hugh Benevides

I would certainly embrace Mr. Ethier's recommendation that there be a greater shared responsibility and a greater responsibility on the part of industry.

To bring in the element of the previous question on how to deal with the in-commerce list, some of these substances are pharmaceuticals or the substances contained within pharmaceuticals. Since CEPA came into force, we've had a great deal of evidence on the very environmental effects of pharmaceuticals in water and the resulting impact both on the environment and, indeed, on human health.

I again think that this committee needs to look at the adequacy of the new substances notification framework for regulating those or first looking at them and then potentially regulating them. This is the ideal opportunity to do that, because of those effects.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Mills

Very, very briefly, Ms. Coombs.

11:05 a.m.

Executive Director, Representative for Formulated Products Industry Coalition, Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association

Shannon Coombs

As of 2001, all substances in products under the Food and Drugs Act are regulated under CEPA using the NSNs. What we're asking for is that any of the substances used in the last 20 years simply be put on a list and put through a categorization process, just as existing substances do, and that they be treated as such under CEPA. With the scheduling of the Food and Drugs Act not taking place, it has put those substances into limbo. We would like legislative clarity and direction from Parliament on those.

Thank you.

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Mills

Thank you.

I would like to thank the members, and certainly our witnesses.

The meeting is adjourned.