Minister's Response to Concerns Raised by the Cement Association of Canada on the Order Adding Toxic Substances to Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

Minister of the Environment
Ottawa, Canada K1A OH3
April 09, 2001

Ms. Alicje Cornelissen
Director, Environment
Cement Association of Canada
60 Queen Street, Suite 1500
Ottawa ON K1P SY7

Dear Ms. Cornelissen:

This is in response to your letter of August 21, 2000, addressed to Vic Shantora, providing comments respecting the proposed Order to add respirable particulate matter less than or equal to 10 microns (PM 10) to the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule I of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA, 1999).

I note that your letter was dated well after the August 9, 2000, closing date for the formal comment period. Although it is unclear to me whether your letter constitutes a formal request for the establishment of a Board of Review under subsection 332 of the Act, I have treated it as if it were.

I have fully and carefully considered your submission. Although there are uncertainties in the database, the weight of the evidence supports the association of PM 10 with adverse human health effects, including mortality, and continues to support the declaration of PM 10 as toxic under CEPA, 1999. Even if your letter had been received within the designated time period, I would have to conclude that it does not raise any points that change our understanding of the nature and extent of the danger posed by particulate matter which would thus warrant the establishment of a Board of Review. Therefore, I will not establish a Board of Review.

I appreciate your bringing Cement Association of Canada's concerns to my attention. I look forward to working with you in the future on matters of environmental interest to your Association.

Yours sincerely,
David Anderson, P.C., M.P.