Pulp and Paper Mill Defoamer and Wood Chip Regulations

Act: Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, c. 33.
Regulation: Pulp and Paper Mill Defoamer and Wood Chip Regulations, SOR/92-268.

To Whom Does This Apply?

All manufacturers, importers, sellers or distributors of defoamers for use in a mill in Canada that uses a chlorine bleaching process as well as operators of such mills.

Eligible Activities

Manufacturing, importing, selling or distributing defoamers for use in a mill in Canada that uses a chlorine bleaching process as well as operating such mills.

Summary

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) is an Act respecting the protection of the environment, human life and health. Its twelve parts include powers and provisions to:

• undertake environmental research and data gathering;
• develop objectives, guidelines and codes of practice for industry and business;
• regulate toxic substances, new substances, wastes and fuels;
• regulate nutrients;
• regulate animate products of biotechnology;
• regulate the environmental effects of federal operations;
• regulate international air pollution and ocean dumping; and
• enforce regulations including agreements with provinces and territories.

Environment Canada administers the Act on behalf of the federal government, but develops regulations and guidelines jointly with Health Canada.

CEPA has been renewed and the new Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 was given Royal Assent on September 14, 1999. The date of proclamation was March 30, 2000.

The Pulp and Paper Mill Defoamer Wood Chip Regulations are to prevent the formation of dioxins and furans and to limit the discharge of these substances from pulp and paper mills using a chlorine bleaching process. The defoamers used by pulp and paper mills are limited to a maximum concentration of ten (10) parts per billion of dibenzodioxin (DBD) and forty (40) parts per billion dibenzofurans (DBF). In addition, the Regulations stipulate that "no person shall import, offer for sale or sell for use in a mill in Canada, wood chips that have been made from wood that has been treated with polychlorinated phenols".

Additional Information

The document Reference method for the determination of Dibenzofuran and Dibenzo-p-dioxin in Defoamers (EPS 1/RM/20) may be obtained from the Environmental Protection Publication Centre.

• Environmental Acts, Regulations and Agreements

• Pulp and Paper Mill Defoamer and Wood Chip Regulations

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this section is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. For particular questions, the users are invited to contact their lawyer. For additional information, see contact(s) listed below.

Quebec Contact(s):
See National Contact.

---

National Contact(s):
Commercial Chemicals Formulation Division
Chemical Sectors Directorate
Environment Canada
12th Floor
Place Vincent Massey
351 Saint-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau, Quebec  K1A 0H3
Telephone: 819-953-9322
Fax: 819-953-3132 / 1-888-391-3695
Toll-free (information): 1-888-391-3426
E-mail: upcis-supac@ec.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/envhome.html

Environmental Protection Publications Centre
Environment Canada
Telephone: 613-953-5921 or 613-953-5750
Fax: 819-953-7253
Web site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/envhome.html