Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H3

June 19, 2000

TO: DISTRIBUTION
FROM: BERNARD MADÉ
CHIEF
CHEMICALS CONTROL DIVISION
TOXICS POLLUTION PREVENTION DIRECTORATE

Re: CONSULTATION
Proposed Amendments to the Chlorobiphenyls Regulations and to the Storage of PCB Material Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Dear Sir / Madam:

Environment Canada is initiating a consultation on proposed amendments to the Chlorobiphenyls Regulations and to the Storage of PCB Material Regulations. The purpose of this consultation is to provide an opportunity for the owners of equipment containing PCBs, the manufacturers/importers of equipment and consumer products and the owners of PCB wastes to ask questions and comment on the proposed modifications to these Regulations.

The proposed PCB Regulations will replace the Chlorobiphenyls Regulations and, while incorporating most of the older requirements, will add new provisions for the tracking and disposal of PCB contaminated equipment currently in service, and additional restrictions on the uses, namely:

• accelerate the phase out of PCB equipment in sensitive locations to one year after the coming into force of the regulations (schools, hospitals, drinking water treatment plant, food and feed processing sites)
• phase out all PCB equipment by December 31, 2007
• set a maximum content of 2 ppm of PCBs in manufactured and imported products
• prohibit the release of PCB material (50 ppm or more) into the environment
• mandate labeling and reporting of PCB equipment

The proposed PCB Regulations will implement the goals of the NAFTA North American Regional Action Plan (NARAP) for PCBs, including the elimination of non-dispersive uses of PCBs, e.g. transformers, capacitors, by 2008.

The Storage of PCB Material Regulations will also be amended at the same time to implement another goal of the NARAP: the setting of a time limit on storage before destruction. Proposed amendments will:

• prohibit the storage of PCB material already in storage after December 31, 2009 (giving 2 years after the phase out of use of equipment for the destruction of all PCB material)
• prohibit the storage of PCB material for more than a year after its decommissioning
• prohibit the storage of PCB material in sensitive locations

These amendments will also implement our commitment under the UN ECE LRTAP Convention Protocol on POPs to make determined efforts to eliminate the use of PCBs in equipment by December 31, 2010 and to destroy them by December 31, 2015.

A consultation meeting on the proposed amendments is scheduled for August 28, 2000 from 8:30 to 12:30 at the Palais des Congrès de Hull , room Désert. We welcome comments and suggestions in advance of the meeting. We are prepared to clarify the proposed regulatory requirements where necessary.

If you would like to receive a draft copy of the proposed amendments for your review and submission of comments, please fill in the attached registration form and return it to Environment Canada as indicated on the form.

If you cannot attend the consultation meeting and would like to submit your comments in writing, please send them to Francine Laperrière by fax at (819)994-0007 or by mail at the following address: Environment Canada, Commercial Chemical Evaluation Branch, Toxics Pollution Prevention Directorate, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3. All comments must be received by September 15, 2000.

Comments received as part of this consultation will be considered in finalizing the regulatory proposals. The draft Regulations should be proposed in the Canada Gazette, Part l, in November 2000. This will be followed by a sixty-day comment period. Our objective is to publish the final regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part ll, in the spring 2001.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact Francine Laperrière at (819) 953-1670 or at francine.laperriere@ec.gc.ca.

I look forward to meeting with you to discuss the proposed amendments.

Sincerely yours,
Bernard Madé
attachments:
consultation agenda
registration form

Consultation on Proposed Amendments to the Chlorobiphenyls Regulations and to the Storage of PCB Material Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Consultation objective:
Present the amendments to stakeholders and receive comments on them.

Agenda
8:30 Welcome and Introduction
8:45 Presentation of the amendments
9:30 Questions and answers session
10:00 Coffee break
10:15 Questions and answers session
12:00 Wrap-up of comments and closing remarks

REGISTRATION FORM

Consultation on Proposed Amendments to the Chlorobiphenyls Regulations and to the Storage of PCB Material Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Please return the completed form by fax, before August 14, 2000, to:

Francine Laperrière, Commercial Chemicals Evaluation Branch
Environment Canada, Hull, Québec
Fax: (819) 994-0007

Please fill in the following information to receive a copy of the proposed amendments:

Name (in full): _____________________________________________
Organization or company: ____________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Tel: ( )______________________ fax: ( )______________________
Email: ______________________________________________________

Please indicate if:

• you will attend the consultation meeting in Hull (August 28, 2000)_________
• you intend to send written comments by September 15, 2000 _________________