ANALYSIS
On the Front Lines of Chemical Assessment in Canada Gary LeRoux Canadian Paint and Coatings Association, Ottawa – Canada
cpca@canpaint.com
Chemicals management in Canada
Information on all of these issues, and many
There is always much to do to ensure
Canada CoatingsHUB on the website
chemicals remain in commerce for the
www.canpaint.com. There are some
paint and coatings industry in Canada.
chemicals and groupings of chemicals
CPCA’s work with federal and provincial
requiring further feedback from companies
governments on important assessments
using those substances in Canada. It is
more, are posted for members on the
will determine whether or not chemicals
TDIs was published and any facility releasing
critical that companies provide the data to
are designated toxic and if so whether
more than 100 kg of TDI will have to develop
CPCA to ensure a fully informed assessment
a P2 plan
can be made for a positive outcome for the
use levels are restricted or banned. More than 500 substances are now being
- CPCA is actively reviewing ongoing
coatings industry.
assessed at the federal level for coatings
assessment of a sub-grouping for flame
under Canada’s Chemicals Management
retardants and there will likely be several
VOC emissions
Plan (CMP), with more to come in future.
candidates considered for prohibition in the
VOC emissions and air quality continues to
The final decisions for all of them are
coming months, yet others seem to pass the
be a strong focus of the current government.
based on the relevance or robustness
toxicity test
The federal government is conducting
of the evidence-based data provided by
- The federal government is seeking to reduce
a comprehensive study related to a
industry. The end result will be whether or
ketone concentrations for MEK, MIBK and
broad review of national VOC content for
not critical substances are permitted for
2,4-PD in certain paint and coatings products,
architectural coatings in Canada. Industry
continued use in a wide range of coatings
including DIY products that are available
must be prepared to respond to the study
products in Canada. Over the past several
to consumers in Canada such as lacquer
especially as it relates to impacts on coatings
years CPCA has been actively engaged
removers, adhesive removers, paint thinner/
products used across the wide spectrum
with members in an effort to monitor
remover, adhesives and PVC cement/primer
of industry sectors. The data collected will
ongoing work in this regard. Some of the
- CPCA is closely watching the review of nine
form the basis of future negotiations on
areas on current chemical assessment
different groupings of substances containing
VOC limits and it is critical that government
by the federal government require the
compounds used in a wide array of CASE
fully understands the impact on product
attention of the entire coatings industry in
products, which could present a challenge
formulations and related performance
Canada, including the following:
for industry depending on the outcome
over the long term. As such, CPCA will be
related to that assessment
fully engaged with the industry throughout
- The Code of Practice developed by Health Canada in concert with CPCA
- After months of discussion CPCA was
the course of this study as it could have
for MEKO is now being evaluated with a
pleased to see that the assessment of
dramatic, long-term effects on industry as
view to either continuing with the Code
copper and copper compounds will not
much as the first round of VOC limits for
or possibly further restricting MEKO or
target the paint and coatings sector
AIM and auto refinishing coatings
banning it outright for use in Canada - The government is also looking at the
- CPCA continues reviewing final assessments
introduced in 2009.
of chemicals in a number of product
significant new uses for ethylbenzene
categories for substances used in CASE
Staying on the air side of the ledger,
and how it may need further controls to
formulations, most recently for two specific
industry should note that the final
be applied in future
groups of substances used in a number of
environmental emergency regulations
product formulations.
will come into force later in 2019. In
- New pollution prevention plan (P2) for
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N. 58 - JULY/AUGUST 2019 - international PAINT&COATING magazine