News Release

Government of Canada Adds 41 Hazardous Substances to Emergency Regulations

OTTAWA, Ont. -- December 21, 2011 -- Canada’s Environment Minister, the Honourable Peter Kent, today announced the addition of 41 unique substances to the Environmental Emergency Regulations. The substances include styrene, an explosive chemical used to make polystyrene plastic containers, and ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer.

“The Government of Canada continues to meet its commitment to protect Canadians and safeguard our environment,” said Minister Kent. “These amendments to the Environmental Emergency Regulations will further protect Canadians where it matters most: at work, in their homes and in their communities.”

Thirty-three substances in use in Canadian commerce, in several physical states, and some substances classed in their different forms are now added to the Environmental Emergency Regulations, for a total of 41 unique listed additions.

Facilities that handle these 41 listed substances at or above regulated quantities are required to develop environmental emergency (E2) plans, if they are not already in place.

E2 plans require that individuals and industrial facilities using or storing regulated hazardous substances listed in the regulations have plans for and can manage the consequences of an unintended release of the substance into the environment.

The amendments include an exemption that reduces administrative burdens for some facilities in the propane gas sector. Facilities with propane in storage containers are excluded from the E2 regulations if their storage containers of less than 10 tonnes are located at least 360 metres from their property boundaries.

Other uses of propane are already controlled under the existing Environmental Emergency Regulations.

The complete list of substance and details of the amendments to the Environmental Emergency Regulations can be found at  http://www.ec.gc.ca/ee-ue/default.asp?lang=En&xml=47FA3987-D3B8-40D8-BD6E-D32D0C9AB586.

For more information, please contact:

Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441

Media Relations
Environment Canada
819-934-8008

Environment Canada’s Twitter page: http://twitter.com/environmentca

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