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Categorization and Screening of the Domestic Substances List. Path forward towards ecological prioritization of substances for assessment. Existing Substances Branch Environment Canada. The results (April 2005). Timelines / Next Steps. Deadlines for Data Submission.
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Categorization and Screening of the Domestic Substances List Path forward towards ecological prioritization of substances for assessment Existing Substances Branch Environment Canada
Deadlines for Data Submission • September 2005: Discrete organics & inorganics • December 2005: Other substances • If data cannot be submitted by these dates, extensions may be requested. • Requests must include a plan outlining the work being undertaken, status, next steps, and timelines. • Requests must be submitted well in advance of these deadlines, and will be available for public review (Categorization CD). • Data received after the deadline may not be processed in time for the September, 2006 deadline.
Categorization Results to Date • Of the 19,700 (of 22,400) substances for which we have preliminary categorization decisions, there is evidence that 3400 meet ecological categorization criteria • 100 PBiT with data of high certainty • 200 PBiT with data of low certainty • 400 High volume PiT or BiT • 1000 Medium Volume PiT or BiT with data of high or medium certainty • 700 Medium Volume PiT or BiT with data of low certainty • 1200 Low Volume PiT or BiT (<1000kg) • A further 1000 substances are Uncertain because they have no data
Some Of These Substances Are Already Being Addressed • For many of these substances actions have already been taken, or will be taken under CEPA • Many others are already undergoing testing in HPV Programs • Some of the substances meeting ecological categorization criteria also meet health categorization criteria, though the overlap is not high
Ongoing Actions and Linkages * Preliminary numbers; X means not available
Setting The Context For Communicating Categorization Results • There is much interest in understanding what will happen after categorization is complete as it is clear that the results of categorization will require a long term response from government, industry and public interest groups • Communicating the results of categorization will be facilitated if these results are set in the context of next steps • Assessment is not the only next step for many substances • Therefore, a mechanism must be developed to group substances according to the anticipated actions by government, industry and stakeholders in 2006
What Are The Possible Next Steps After Categorization? • In the next 20 years Canada and other jurisdictions will continue to work towards understanding substances in commerce • Some substances can proceed immediately to risk assessment • Other substances require additional data generation to reduce uncertainty in their categorization decision • New research needs to be conducted particularly in the area of environmental monitoring, and model development • Meanwhile, the government needs to continue working with other jurisdictions. Results of the US & OECD HPV programs and the EU REACH program need to be taken into consideration • Industry needs to be responsible and accept the “onus” placed on them to understand the impact of substances that they produce or market
Path Forward - Implementation of ecological prioritization framework • June 1: EC/HC/ICG/CEN meeting where prioritization framework concept was introduced. • July 28: stakeholder subgroup meeting to identify mutually acceptable considerations for prioritization • Summer 2005: discussion paper outlining overall objectives for prioritization of categorized substances. • Define how to use the sorting tools in the next steps • Severity scale (mechanical process) • Certainty scale (mechanical process) • Information from categorization • Information from new substances requirements • We commit to maintain the open, transparent and consultative process we have used for categorization
The Framework For Action On Substances Meeting Categorization Criteria Priority to Fill Data Gaps Higher severity/ lower certainty Fill information gap through science and monitoring Actively engage international players (influence) Challenge voluntary industry RM action, or data generation Priority for Assessment High certainty & severity Higher volume and or hazard Precautionary RM action where needed Monitor Progress Lower severity & certainty Support voluntary industry activity to fill data gaps Passively align with existing international data gathering or assessment activities (communicate) Implement international feeder by monitoring RA/RM activities in other countries Implement provisions to put onus on industry (S. 70 feeder) Low Priority for Action • Lower severity / higher certainty • Lower volume • Low priority for assessment • Generic exposure tools to set aside • Communicate low expectation for immediate action • Monitor 6 feeders
Path Forward for: Substances identified as P and B (n=314) • P and B substances are the ecological highest priority for assessment to determine if these substances pose an ecological risk • For substances that are P, exposure can not easily be reduced by discontinuing production Problems caused by persistent chemicals are, therefore, long-lasting • Persistent substances that are bioaccumulative concentrate up to several orders of magnitude. They can reach concentrations where adverse effects occur even at low levels of exposure in the environment • Many P and B substances have low confidence categorization decisions so priority after 2006 is to improve the quality of the data upon which decision is made • Group substances based on chemical categories of P&Bs.
Trial Binning of 1660 Organic Substances “Categorized In” Based on Hazard
Path Forward for Purple: High volume , > 1000 tonnes (n=382) • Determine which substances have already been addressed domestically, such as PSL, schedule 1 (done) • Determine substance status in international high volume programs (done) • Those substances with SIDS datasets generated internationally can proceed to screening assessments • Verify whether the timelines for generating the SIDS data in international HPV programs are compatible with our domestic scheduling (to be done as part of phase 2 of priority setting) • Issue 1: Canada is an 80% import market. As such not many substances are originating in the country. Existing substances risk are a developed world problem. • Issue 2: Categorization has confirmed the global lack of data on chemicals, • Issue 3: the lack of significant progress on important international initiatives that hold promise is cause for concern • Issue 4: We are currently at least 10 years ahead of REACH
Path Forward for Yellows: Categorized in with medium & high confidence (n= 1087) • Distributed among 4 quadrants • Medium confidence = priority for data-gap filling • High confidence = higher priorities for assessment/ further actions • Rounds 1&2 = some yellows, or as part of category approach • Round 3 = larger number of yellows, or as part of category approach
Path Forward for Yellows:Categorized in but low confidence (n= 690) • Weight of evidence points in the direction that the substance meets the categorization criteria • Simplified s.71 survey to find out which ones are not in commerce (based on new survey format) • For those in commerce, voluntary challenge to industry to fill data gap or to accept the “onus” of risk managing • For those not in commerce, consider the use of SNAc’s to ensure data gaps are filled before the substance is re-introduced on the market (trigger of 1 tonne for example?) • These substances will likely be initially lower priorities for screening assessments unless data is received • P and B substances of medium volume are not included in this approach
Path Forward for Blues:Low volume, < 1 tonne (n=1190) • Select some priorities for screening assessment based on P and/or iT. (Cherry picking) • Some of these substances could be included in a category approach (determined during phase 2) based on priorities of other related substances • For example, a group assessment of nitro musks would include low volume nitro musks • These substances would not be driving assessment priorities • For substances not selected as priorities and that do not fall in a category, use a generic exposure tool such as ChemSim for a tier 1 screening assessment or to justify very low priority for assessment (set aside) • Provide industry with section 70 guidance on what types or future sources of exposure to notify • Persistent and bioaccumulative substances are not included in this approach
Generic Exposure Scenarios • Generic exposure scenarios would be used to refine binning of substances. • Combination of scenarios could be used to support the setting aside of substances that are low priority for further action. • Generic exposure scenario in ChemSim could be compared to acute toxicity data used for categorization.
Mechanical Priority Setting Activities Before 2006 Will Be Augmented • The mechanical sorting will be refined using planning tools • Assessment and management activities in other countries • International HPV programs • Category approaches • Ongoing research and monitoring activities • Potential use of Significant New Activities Provisions • Results from section 71 surveys • Use of section 70
After 2006 Additional Priority Setting Will Need to Occur • Post categorization, work can begin on setting priorities for assessment within smaller groups of substances • A priority setting and scheduling process needs • To be done in conjunction with Health Canada • Set priorities periodically (as opposed to ongoing) • Be able to accommodate emerging priorities that are identified through mechanisms other than categorization (ie emerging science, new substances) • Be cognisant of ongoing initiatives and work in other jurisdictions • Scaled to the resources of government, industry and other stakeholders • Be transparent and have appropriate engagement
Identification of Substances 2006-2011 Prioritization Outcome 7 Feeder Contribution to Next Steps 2012-2017 2018-2023 7 Feeders 2005 • Priority for Assessment • High certainty & severity • Higher volume and/or hazard • Precautionary RM action where needed S. 74 Categorized “in” • S. 71 Surveys • Complete HPV Assessments in other jurisdictions • NSN information database • Set government research agenda • Communicate data gaps and actively engage other jurisdictions • Challenge industry • S. 71 data generation • Develop tools/methods (OECD) • SNAC’s • HPV Reverse onus on industry • Industry research programs • REACH implementation • EPA prioritization discussions • NSN new data • Research programs • S. 70 • NSN trigger and information requirement • REACH exemptions • S. 71 other Gazette Notices to definitely set aside • Use 6 feeders to re-assess Development of mutually acceptable (Multi-stakeholder) set of considerations for setting priorities Prioritization II (Multi-stakeholder) Prioritization III (Multi-stakeholder) Contributing to identification of all hazardous substances Prioritization I (Multi-stakeholder) Report on results of assessment • Categorization • New Substances Notification • Industry Information • International Assessment and Data Collection • Emerging Science • Public Nominations • Provincial or International Decisions • Actively Fill Data Gaps • Higher severity/lower certainty • Fill information gap through science and monitoring • Actively engage international players (influence) • Challenge voluntary industry RM action, or data generation PBiT Report on active data gap filling PiT & BiT • Includes low confidence • S. 68 • Not Categorized “in” but further work • Includes uncertain • Passively Align with Other Programs • Lower severity & certainty • Support voluntary industry activity to fill data gaps • Passively align with existing international data gathering or assessment activities (communicate) • Implement international feeder by monitoring RA/RM activities in other countries Report on results of passive alignment • S. 68 or S. 77 • Other substances identified for further review • eg.: Organotins, BFR’s, PFOS, PFCA, PCN, CP’s, organoperoxy, organosilicon • Could overlap with categorization • Low Priority for Action • Lower severity/higher certainty • Lower volume • Low priority for assessment • Generic exposure tools to set aside • Communicate low expectation for immediate action Report on new information from 7 feeders