Newly Added Links

This section highlights new reports about mercury and new mercury management tools/initiatives as they become available. If you are aware of items that could be added to this site, please contact us.

CCME has endorsed Canada-wide standards (CWS) that will significantly reduce mercury emissions from the coal-fired electric power generation (EPG) sector.

October, 2006

YELLOWKNIFE - On October 11th 2006, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) endorsed the "Canada-wide standards(CWS) for Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Electric Power Generation Plants" which will significantly reduce mercury emissions from the coal-fired electric power generation (EPG) sector.

These CWSs consists of two sets of targets:

• provincial caps on mercury emissions from existing coal-fired EPG plants, with the 2010 provincial caps representing a 60% national capture of mercury from coal burned, or 70% including recognition for early action; and
• capture rates or emission limits for new plants, based on best available control technology, effective immediately.

A second phase of the CWSs may explore the capture of 80% or more of mercury from coal burned for 2018 and beyond.

The EPG sector is the largest single remaining man-made source of mercury emissions in Canada. In 2003, domestic emissions from this sector were estimated to be 2,695 kilograms. Mercury is persistent in the environment and elevated levels have been found in fish and wildlife across the country. The CCME has determined that efforts to reduce mercury emissions are warranted for the protection of the environment and human health.

For more information visit the CCME's Mercury Section., or read the communique from CCME's October 11th meeting.

Working Document : Pollution Prevention Planning In Respect of Mercury Releases from Electric Arc Furnaces and from Mercury-containing components and Mercury-containing Switches in Vehicles Manufactured, Imported and Domestically Distributed since January 1, 1994.

June, 2006

Environment Canada is in the process of developing a notice under Part 4 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) requiring the preparation and implementation of pollution prevention plans for mercury releases from electric arc furnaces and from mercury-containing components in vehicles manufactured, imported and domestically distributed since January 1,1994. This notice, to be published in the Canada Gazette Part I at a future date, will target facilities involved in vehicle manufacturing and steel production.

A Working Document as well as the related instructions have been prepared to outline proposed pollution prevention planning requirements for mercury releases from electric arc furnaces and from mercury-containing components in vehicles manufactured, imported and domestically distributed since January 1,1994. The schedules referred to in the Working Document can be obtained by contacting the person listed below. The document Switch Out: Canada, Options for a National Program for the Responsible Recovery of Automotive Mercury Switches To Provide a Framework for Assessing Options in the Design and Delivery of a National Switch Collection, 2005, referred to in the Working Document, is available here.

After receiving and considering comments on this document, a Proposed Notice requiring the preparation and implementation of pollution prevention plans for mercury releases from electric arc furnaces and from mercury-containing components in vehicles manufactured, imported and domestically distributed since January 1,1994 will be published in Part I of the Canada Gazette for a 60-day comment period. Based on consideration of further comments received during this comment period, Environment Canada will publish a Final Notice in Part I of the Canada Gazette.

Please provide your written comments on the Working Document by July 27, 2006, to:

Lorrie Hayes
Mercury Programs
National Office of Pollution Prevention
351 St. Joseph Blvd., 13th floor
Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3
Tel.: 819-994-6103
Fax: 819-994-5030

Launch of New Mercury Management: Cities and Communities Section

October, 2005

This new section provides information on how to develop community-based programs to help reduce mercury releases, and municipalities which have already taken initiative. As a means of helping the development of such programs, the document "Municipal Actions to Reduce Mercury" was published in March 2005 to be used as a guide.

For more information please visit our "Cities and Communties" webpage.

UNEP Partnership Agreements - Reducing Mercury's Impact on the Environment

October, 2005

Under the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) global mercury programme, countries are urged to take actions to protect human health and the environment from mercury releases. In February 2005, countries decided to continue the global mercury programme.

The current workplan for the programme has some new activities, including the establishment of partnerships as one approach to reducing risks from mercury to human health and the environment. Partnership areas in which countries have expressed interest include coal fired power generation, artisanal gold mining, mercury inventories, mercury-containing products and the mercury cell chlor-alkali sector.

To learn more about the establishment of these partnership agreements, the following link is available: http://www.chem.unep.ch/mercury/partnerships/default.htm

Canada-Wide Standards for Mercury Emissions form Coal-Fired Electric Power Generation Plants

June, 2005

In June 2005, the CCME accepted, in principle, a draft "Canada-Wide Standards (CWS) for Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Electric Power Generation Plants" that would significantly reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired electric power generation plants.

This CWS proposes two targets:

Endorsement of the CWS by CCME members is anticipated in the fall of 2005.

Canada-Wide Standards for Mercury - A Report on Progress

June, 2005

In June 2005, the Canadian Council of the Ministers (CCME) published the "Canada-wide Standards for Mercury: A Report on Progress" which provides a status update on the implementation of the Canada-wide Standards for Mercury : Mercury Emissions, Mercury Containing Lamps and Mercury for Dental Amalgam Waste.

More information on the Canada-wide Standards for Mercury may be found on the CCME web site at www.ccme.ca or on Environment Canada's Mercury and the Environment's Canada-Wide Standards page.

Dental Wastes - Best management Practices Guide (Ontario)

April, 2005

The "Dental Wastes Best Management Practices Guide for the Dental Community" provides general information on Best Management Practices (BMPs) for dental waste in Ontario. This guide gives valuable information regarding the management of various types of wastes and how to manage mercury spills, and gives the contact information to various hazardous waste carriers throughout the province. For more examples of BMP documents throughout Canada, visit the Dental Amalgam Waste's requirements and resources section.