16 role of toxicology Flashcards
why is the environmental protection legislation important?
the environmental legislation that is designed to protect the environment (and us) from harmful chemicals relies on toxicology for many functions:
-identifying potentially toxic chemicals
-chemical risk assessment
-management strategies to protect from risk
-research to improve chemical identification, measurement and understand impact
what are the two most important acts?
-makes environmental protection and pollution prevention happen by granting legal authority
-pollution prevention in Canada (at the federal level) mostly happens under two acts: the canadian environmental protection act (CEPA) and the fisheries act
what is the canadian environmental protection act?
-the “big” act
-responsibility of ministers of health and environment
-management and elimination of toxic substances (ex: toxic substances in products, from industries, in imports, vehicle emissions, and more)
-recent amendments grant canadians the right to a healthy environment (ex: by prioritizing risk assessment and management for chemicals that disproportionately impact vulnerable members of the population)
what is the fisheries act?
“the conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat, including by preventing pollution”
-one of canada’s oldest pieces of legislation dating back 1868
-pollution prevention provisions under the act are responsibility of the minister of environment
-the primary act used to manage pollution of aquatic ecosystems across canada by prohibiting the deposit of any substance that is harmful or may become harmful to fish, fish habitat and the use of fish by humans (the general prohibition)
-the regulations under the act can authorize deposits (ex: effluent)
what is identifying and assessing toxic substances?
-largely done under CEPA (individual or groups of substances)
-in the past, this was done by identifying substances from lists lime the domestic substances list (commercial substances made or imported into canada which have been categorized by risk assessors to identify what might be toxic)
risk assessment prioritization (new)
-the plant of priorities:
-a new way to evaluate which substances should become subject to risk assessment inci, via public submission
what is the toxic substances list?
once on the plan of priorities, risk assessors will follow a framework to determine if the substances should be deemed toxic
the toxic substances list
-schedule 1 of CEPA
-where substances land once they are identified as toxic
-once a substance is confirmed to be toxic, risk management action is required
how do we manage risk?
once the substance or group of substances have been identified as toxic (or have the ability to become toxic), various risk management tools can be used including:
-regulations under the acts (effluent/emission limits, toxicity testing requirements, environmental monitoring requirements)
-environmental guidelines (ex: for the protection of aquatic life or the protection of human health)
-in the worst cases, substances may be banned
what is another way we can manage risks?
authorized deposits
-sometimes risk to the environment has to be balanced with economic activity (ex: effluent releases related to industrial sectors like mining and pulp and paper)
-deposits of effluent may be authorized under the fisheries act
-BUT deposits are typically subject to risk management in the form of regulations (ie: conditions for authorization)
what is an example of authorized deposits?
pulp and paper sectors
-typically, we see authorized deposits for sectors that require effluent discharge
-pulp and paper mills produce liquid effluent that is treated and released to the environment according the pulp and paper effluent regulations
-there is also a CEPA regulation banning the release of certain substances from pulp and paper mills (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorobenzo-para-dioxin and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran)
risk management tools listed in regulations can include:
-substances prohibitions
-end-of-pipe effluent limits
-acute and sublethal (chronic) toxicity testing of effluent
-environmental effects monitoring (EEM) studies (water and biological monitoring to assess if effluent is having an impact on the aquatic ecosystem)
-consequences if above requirements are not met (ex: enforcement investigations and fines)
what is the CEPA environmental management process conceptual model?
who does all this stuff?
toxicologists are needed across the full spectrum of environmental protection activities
-in the office/boardroom
-in the lab/research facilities
-in the field
what do toxicologists do in the office/boardroom?
risk assessors, policy analysts and scientists working in gov’t
-perform risk assessment activities under CEPA
-develop and implement the regulations under CEPA and the fisheries act
-use toxicology information to develop guidelines (ex: species sensitivity distributions)
-create policy and technical guidance to inform best practices
-engage with stakeholders and rights holders
technical advisors (consultants) providing advice to indigenous governments, ENGOs, industry
what do toxicologists do in the lab/research facilities?
scientists, laboratory technologists, research assistants in gov’t, academic and commercial labs
-develop and standardize methods for detecting substances (ex: standard methods for detecting metals, organic chemicals, etc)
-design and standardize methods for toxicity testing (ex: toxicity tests required by regulations)
-carry out toxicity testing of whole effluent req’d under fisheries act regulation
-design and carry out research studies to improve methods and understand impacts
what do toxicologists do in the field?
environmental consultants, enforcement officers, and scientists working in gov’t, academia and industry
-carry out EEM studies required under regulations (consultants)
-carry out investigative studies when environmental law is broken (enforcement officers)
-develop and test environmental indicators
-carry out research studies to better understand effects of pollutants on communities and populations
