Draft Screening Assessment Report

(Public comment period October 30, 2010 to December 29, 2010)

On October 30, 2010, the results of a draft screening assessment report on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and its precursors were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, for a 60-day public comment period.

A summary of the draft screening assessment report on PFOA and its salts is available at:

Canada Gazette, Part I: Vol. 144, No. 44 – Publication After Screening Assessment of the Substances – Perfluorooctanoic Acid, its Salts and its Precursors – [subsection 77(1) and paragraph 68(b) and (c) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999] ( PDF Version – 1,091 K )

The screening assessment of one of the PFOA salts (CAS No. 3825-26-1), and four potential PFOA precursor substances (CAS Nos. 678-39-7, 53515-73-4, 65530-61-2 and 70969-47-0), was conducted under section 77 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) because they were found to meet the ecological categorization criteria for persistence and/or bioaccumulation potential and inherent toxicity to non-human organisms.

The screening assessment of PFOA and the other PFOA salts and potential precursor substances was conducted under section 68 of CEPA 1999, because they were not found to meet the categorization criteria, or they were not categorized since they do not appear on the Domestic Substances List (DSL).

The draft screening assessment report proposes to conclude that PFOA, its salts and its precursors are entering the environment in concentrations or quantities or under conditions that pose a risk to the environment. Therefore, PFOA, its salts and its precursors meet one or more of the criteria set out in section 64 of CEPA 1999. The Ministers of the Environment and of Health therefore propose to add these substances to Schedule 1 of the Act.

The full text of the draft screening assessment report is available at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/lcpe-cepa/default.asp?lang=En&n=705376A7-1

You may also obtain copies of the draft screening assessment report on PFOA, its salts and its precursors by contacting the Substances Management Information Line at: substances@ec.gc.ca.

There is a 60-day public comment period on the draft screening assessment report, from October 30, 2010 to December 29, 2010. Information on how to submit comments is provided in the Canada Gazette Notice.

Risk Management Scope Document

(Public comment period October 30, 2010 to December 29, 2010)

Under the Chemicals Management Plan, the Government of Canada has committed to engaging stakeholders on the proposed management of the risks associated with substances. When the proposed conclusion of the draft screening assessment report is that a substance meets one or more of the criteria set out under section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999), an accompanying risk management scope document is available to the public for a 60-day comment period. Please note that the public comment period will not be extended.

The risk management scope document is a preliminary outline of the options being examined for the management of a substance based on the proposed conclusions of the draft screening assessment report. Industry and other interested stakeholders are being invited to submit comments on the content of the risk management scope documents or to provide other information that would help inform decision making. Comments submitted on the risk management scope document for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and its precursors, and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) that contain from 9 to 20 carbon atoms (C9-C20), prior to December 29, 2010, will be taken into consideration as the Government of Canada moves forward with the development of a risk management approach document.

Risk management scope document on perfluorooctanoic, its salts and its precursors, and long-chain perfluorinated carboxylic acids that contain from 9 to 20 carbon atoms, their salts and their precursors at http://www.ec.gc.ca/Publications/default.asp?lang=En&xml=9A501352-BE72-4F7C-8BB8-FC9172EAED96

The proposed risk management approach document will be a more detailed document building on the risk management scope document that outlines, in more depth, the proposed risk management actions, including the proposed choice of instrument. The release of the proposed risk management approach document will coincide with the publication of the final screening assessment report. The proposed risk management approach document will also be subject to a 60-day public comment period.

If you have questions or comments, please contact us at http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/contact/index-eng.php

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