Thanks for your question.
We think it can be done, that the rigour of the process can be maintained within the timelines we've suggested. Some of the delays are not because of the inability to do a proper science review or to gather information in a timely way or to have an adequate peer review, but they are, for instance, because of the fact that this needs to go to cabinet and it sits on a desk there because there are no timelines to make it come back on time.
When you divide the two different processes into the domestic substances list and the regular process.... We're looking at six months for the regular process and we're talking about one substance at a time. So when a substance gets nominated by a citizen, they now have six months to do an assessment of just one substance.
When you're looking at the domestic substances list and you're talking about a batch, we're going to need more resources. The government is committed to dealing with those substances, but we have to remember that part of the categorization process has been to gather a huge amount of information. Along with figuring out whether something's persistent or biocumulative, they've already gathered a lot of information about what kinds of health problems or what kinds of environmental problems these substances may cause and have asked industry for data. So we're way ahead of the game in terms of those substances, and that's why we feel that batches of substances, through the domestic substances list, can be done in a credible and scientific way within the timelines we've suggested.