Thank you very much.
The assessment report was indeed published in the Canada Gazette in October 2004. Further to this process, we invited members of the public to send us their comments on the report, on our scientific findings, and so on. We received many comments, in particular about the bioaccumulation of the substance. The fact remains that research into perfluorinated substances like PFOS is a relatively new field. Ten years, ago, no one really knew much about these substances. Science has evolved considerably.
So then, we received comments, in particular about the accumulation of these substances and their effects. As is always the case, we were required to take a serious look at these comments and to convene a meeting of international experts. In 2005, European, American, Canadian and Japanese experts came together to discuss accumulation issues. As Dr. Khatter mentioned earlier, according to the report, this substance does not meet the accumulation criteria under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The report found that based on new scientific data, the substance accumulates in organisms.
In short, we were able to use this time to conduct additional research and to consult with international experts in order to do an assessment and reach some conclusions on substance accumulation.