Lec 1

Question 1

What is CEPA and it’s main goal?

Answer 1

Canadian environmental protection act, Contribute to sustainable development

Question 2

What were some improvements (9) passed in CEPA 1999?

Answer 2

Pollution prevention (instead of a focus on cleaning)
Enviro and human risk assessment
Time frames of toxic substance management
tools for managing toxic substances
phasing out toxic substances
atmospheric regulations
strengthen enforement
citizen input
better cooperation

Question 3

What is the guiding principles (9) of CEPA?

Answer 3

1. Sustainable development
2. pollution prevention
3. virtual elimination of all persistent, accumulative, toxic chemicals. (elimination below detection limit)
4. Ecosystem approach focusing on geographic boundaries
5. Precautionary principles - requirement of scientific certainty
6. intergovernmental cooperation
7. National standards (CCME guidelines)
8. Polluter pays principle - companies pay the costs they impose on society
9. science based decision making

Question 4

What is CEPA toxic?

Answer 4

A substance that meets at least 1 of the following principles:
1. long term harmful effect on environment / diversity
2. is a danger to environment on which life depends on
3. is a danger to human life or health

Question 5

What are the Endpoints / half-life values for CEPA toxic chemicals?

Answer 5

Persistence (Half-life) - air (>2 days) Water (>6 months) Sediment (> 1 year) soil (> 6 months)

Bio accumulation (Uptake) - Bioaccumulation (>5000) Bioconcentration (>5000) lipophilic Kow (>5)

Toxicity - acute LC 50 (1mg/L) chronic NOEC (0.1mg/L)

Question 6

What is Canada’s CMP?

Answer 6

Chemical management plan (CMP) under CEPA
regulate chemicals known for adverse effects