Background

• Why are we concerned about Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)?
• What are VOC?
• What is Environment Canada doing to reduce the risk to the environment caused by VOC?
• The addition of VOC to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999, (CEPA 1999)

Why are we concerned about Volatile Organic Compounds?

VOC are primary precursors to the formation of ground level ozone and particulate matter in the atmosphere which are the main ingredients of the air pollutant referred to as smog. Smog is known to cause serious health effects for Canadians as well as harmful effects on vegetation. Please go to the Environment Canada Clean Air site for more information on smog formation.

What are Volatile Organic Compounds?

VOC are organic compounds containing one or more carbon atoms that have high vapour pressures and therefore evaporate readily to the atmosphere. There are literally thousands of compounds that meet this definition, but most programs focus on the 50 to 150 most abundant compounds containing two to twelve carbon atoms. VOC do not include photochemically non-reactive compounds such as methane, ethane and the chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). Click here to see the official VOC definition used by Environment Canada.

VOC emissions result from natural and anthropogenic (man made) sources. Natural sources of VOC include vegetation, forest fires, and animals. Although natural sources of VOC emissions are larger overall, it is anthropogenic sources in populated and industrialized areas that are the main contributors to air quality problems. The major anthropogenic sources of concern of VOC in Canada are the transportation sector, the use of solvents and solvent containing products, and industrial sources. (See Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. 2000 VOC Emissions

The VOC Controls section at Environment Canada is addressing VOC emissions resulting from the use of solvents in consumer and commercial products which are the second largest contributors at 28% of overall emissions of VOC. Consumer and commercial products are individually small sources of VOC emissions but contribute significantly to the overall atmospheric loadings of VOC and associated air quality problems. Consumer and commercial products include a wide array of products such as household cleaning products, personal care products, paints, and printing inks.

What is Environment Canada doing to reduce the risk to the environment caused by Volatile Organic Compounds?

In order to address the concerns associated with smog formation, the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories, except Québec adopted the "Canada Wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone" in June 2000. In order to achieve these standards, a number of actions must be taken to achieve reductions of several air pollutants, including actions to reduce VOC.

On March 27, 2004, the Ministers of Environment and Health published a Notice of Intent entitled, Federal Agenda on the Reduction of Emissions of VOC from Consumer and Commercial Products, in the Canada Gazette Part I. This document outlines a series of measures to be developed and implemented between 2004 and 2010 to reduce emissions of VOC from consumer and commercial products.

A Support Document to the Notice of Intent was developed to provide background information and supporting rationale for measures included in the federal agenda mentioned above. This document also includes a summary of stakeholder views and an analysis of individual issues.

The addition of Volatile Organic Compounds to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999

Section 64 (c) of the CEPA 1999 defines a substance as "toxic" if it is entering or may enter the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health. VOC were found to meet these criteria, and on July 2, 2003, ozone and its precursors and precursors to respirable PM₁₀, including VOC were added to Schedule 1 of CEPA 1999.

The addition of VOC to Schedule 1 of CEPA will provide Environment Canada with additional tools and the legal authority to develop and propose measures to control VOC. See the full text of the Order adding VOC to Schedule 1 of CEPA.

For further information on what actions are taking place for each of the related sectors, please click on the sectors section.