Network 12-1.pdf - Canadian Women's Health Network

CANADA’S
CHEMICALS
MANAGEMENT
PLAN
Why
we
ought
to
know
By Anne Rochon Ford and Dolon Charkavartty
ONE WOULD EXPECT THAT THE THOUSANDS OF CHEMICALS IN DAILY USE – IN OUR
HOMES, IN INDUSTRY, AND ELSEWHERE – HAVE BEEN THROUGH A FORMAL REVIEW
PROCESS BY OUR GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE FOR HUMAN EX-
POSURE. IN FACT, HOWEVER, MOST CHEMICALS IN CURRENT USE HAVEN’T BEEN FULLY AS-
SESSED AND CAN REALLY ONLY BE CONSIDERED “SAFE” UNTIL IT’S PROVEN OTHERWISE.
Fortunately, there is a possibility that this far-fromreassuring
situation may change. In December 2006,
the Government of Canada announced a new process
for assessing and managing the potential health and
environmental risks from over 23,000 chemicals that
are widely used in Canada. Included in this “Chemicals
Management Plan” (CMP) is a “Challenge” to
industry: unless industry provides information that
suggests otherwise, 200 of these chemicals will be
considered toxic (as defined by the Canadian Environmental
Protection Act or CEPA). In other words, the
ground has shifted – in the case of some chemicals,
at least – from “safe until proven otherwise” to “toxic
until proven otherwise.” Given the increasing evidence
linking exposure to even trace amounts of chemicals
in our air, water, soil, food, and homes with chronic
illnesses including cancer, this is a step in the right
direction.
Over a three-year period, Health Canada and
Environment Canada have been releasing the names
of fifteen of the 200 chemicals in question every three
months. These chemicals will be re-evaluated based
on four factors, namely persistence, bioaccumulation,
inherent toxicity, and greatest potential for exposure.
This re-evaluation is currently underway and
individuals and groups in the general public – not
just scientists and industry – are being encouraged to
become knowledgeable about what is going on and
to get involved. Funding was provided to the Canadian
Environmental Network / Réseau canadien
de l’environnement (RCEN), in collaboration with
the environmental NGO, Environmental Defence,
6 FALL/.WINTER 2009/2010 NETWORK