Government of Canada Takes Further Action to Protect Canadians under the Chemicals Management Plan.

Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment, and the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, released draft screening assessment reports for Batch 12 of the Chemicals Management Plan's Challenge Initiative (see also Environmental Services).

"We are pleased with the progress we are making in protecting Canadians from chemicals that pose a risk to the environment," said Minister Kent. "We are a world leader in chemicals management and this latest draft screening report allows us to continue our efforts in the best interest of Canadians and the environment."

"Chemicals play an important role in protecting our health and contributing to our quality of life," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Canadians want to know that the chemicals we use every day are managed properly, and that is why the Government is committed to the Chemicals Management Plan and protecting the health and environment of Canadians."

One substance from Batch 12 - Octamethyltrisiloxane or MDM - has been identified as a potential risk to the environment. MDM, which is imported into the country, is used in a variety of consumer and commercial products (e.g., cosmetics and personal care, adhesives, anti-adhesives, and in cleaner agents) and has an industrial use as a heat transfer fluid. The Government of Canada is considering adding this substance to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. Possible measures have been proposed to manage the risks surrounding MDM substances and the potential risk it may pose to the environment. MDM has not been identified to cause harm to human health.

Notices containing summaries of the draft screening assessment reports were published in Canada Gazette, Part I, on January 8, 2011. Draft screening assessment reports for twelve substances in Batch 12 and the proposed risk management scope document for MDM can be found on the Chemical Substances Website (http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/challenge-defi/batch-lot-12/index-eng.php). Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments on the draft screening assessments and risk management scope documents before March 9, 2011.

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Keywords: Chemicals, Chemistry, Conservation, Ecology, Environmental Protection, Environmental Services.

This article was prepared by Health & Medicine Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Health & Medicine Week via NewsRx.com.