Thank you, Chair.
I would first like to make an opening statement, and then we'll be standing clause 2 and moving to clause 3, which is the meat of the change. It would be more logical to approach it that way.
I'd like to begin by thanking Ms. Minna for her efforts and hard work on Bill C-298, dealing with perfluorooctane sulfonate, which is known as PFOS. Her bill would require the government to take action on PFOS, a substance that was at one time used in all kinds of products, such as stain, grease, and water repellants.
The government is in full agreement that action should be taken on PFOS. That's why we moved swiftly last year to put PFOS on the list of toxic substances under CEPA and to publish proposed regulations to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or import of PFOS or PFOS-containing products. We expect to finalize these regulations later this year.
There are two notable time-limited exceptions to the prohibition in the government's regulations. They are a five-year phase-out period for the use of PFOS in fire-fighting foams and electroplating processes--chrome-plating processes. These are consistent with the most stringent actions taken in other jurisdictions. The government also acknowledges that the weight of evidence suggests that PFOS is a substance that can accumulate in the environment and in animals. For that reason, we're supportive of Ms. Minna's efforts to add PFOS to the virtual elimination list, the VE list.
However, adding a substance to the VE list under CEPA comes with a requirement to develop a kind of regulation called a release-limit regulation, which will not, in this case, offer additional protection to the environment or human health. The right kind of regulation for a substance like PFOS is a prohibition--turning off the tap--and that's what we're proposing.
As we heard in the CEPA review, there are issues with the virtual elimination provisions in CEPA. We are proposing the amendments that would allow the government to add PFOS to the VE list without creating the obligation to develop a release-limit regulation. Our amendments would ensure that a number of substances related to PFOS would also be addressed. The government-proposed prohibition regulation would also apply to PFOS salts. This bill currently does not address those PFOS salts, so these additional substances would be added and would be in clause 3.
I'd like to stand clause 2 and move to clause 3, if that's okay.