Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999: part 4


Part 4: Pollution Prevention

Pollution Prevention Plans

Requirement for pollution prevention plans

56. (1) The Minister may, at any time, publish in the Canada Gazette and in any other manner that the Minister considers appropriate a notice requiring any person or class of persons described in the notice to prepare and implement a pollution prevention plan in respect of a substance or group of substances specified on the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule 1, or to which subsection 166(1) or 176(1) applies.

Contents of notice

(2) The notice may specify

  1. (a) the substance or group of substances in relation to which the plan is to be prepared;

  2. (b) the commercial, manufacturing, processing or other activity in relation to which the plan is to be prepared;

  3. (c) the factors to be considered in preparing the plan;

  4. (d) the period within which the plan is to be prepared;

  5. (e) the period within which the plan is to be implemented; and

  6. (f) any administrative matter necessary for the purposes of this Part.

Extension of time

(3) Where the Minister is of the opinion that further time is necessary to prepare or implement the plan, the Minister may extend the period for a person who submits a written request before the expiry of the period referred to in the notice or of any extended period.

Publication of notice of extension

(4) The Minister shall publish in the Canada Gazette and in any other manner that the Minister considers appropriate a notice stating the name of any person for whom an extension is granted, whether the extension is for the preparation or implementation of the plan, and the duration of the period of the extension.

Application for waiver

(5) On a written request submitted by any person to whom a notice under subsection (1) is directed, the Minister may waive the requirement for that person to consider a factor specified under paragraph (2)(c) where the Minister is of the opinion that it is not reasonable or practicable to consider the factor on the basis of reasons provided in the request.

Plan prepared or implemented for another purpose

57. (1) Subject to subsection (2), where a person who is required to prepare or implement a pollution prevention plan under a notice published under section 56 has prepared or implemented a plan in respect of pollution prevention on a voluntary basis or for another government or under another Act of Parliament that meets all or some of the requirements of the notice, the person may use that plan for the purposes of meeting the requirements of this Part and, in that case, the plan shall be considered to be a pollution prevention plan that has been prepared or implemented under this Part.

Where partial requirements met

(2) Where a person uses a plan under subsection (1) that does not meet all of the requirements of the notice, the person shall

  1. (a) amend the plan so that it meets all of those requirements; or

  2. (b) prepare an additional pollution prevention plan that meets the remainder of those requirements.

Declaration of preparation

58. (1) Every person who is required to prepare a pollution prevention plan under section 56 or 291 or under an agreement in respect of environmental protection alternative measures shall file, within 30 days after the end of the period for the preparation of the plan specified in the notice referred to in subsection 56(1) or extended under subsection 56(3), or specified by the court under section 291 or in the agreement, as the case may be, a written declaration to the Minister that the plan has been prepared and is being implemented.

Declaration of implementation

(2) Every person who is required to implement a pollution prevention plan under section 56 or 291 or under an agreement in respect of environmental protection alternative measures shall file, within 30 days after the completion of the implementation of the plan, a written declaration to the Minister that the implementation of the plan has been completed.

Filing of amended declaration

(3) Where a person has filed a declaration under subsection (1) or (2) and the declaration contains information that, at any time after the filing, has become false or misleading, that person shall file an amended declaration to the Minister within 30 days after that time.

Form of declaration

(4) A declaration referred to in subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be filed in the form and manner and contain the information specified by the Minister.

Requirement to keep plan

59. Every person who is required to prepare a pollution prevention plan under section 56 or 291 or under an agreement in respect of environmental protection alternative measures shall keep a copy of the plan at the place in Canada in relation to which the plan is prepared.

Requirement to submit certain plans

60. (1) The Minister may publish in the Canada Gazette and in any other manner that the Minister considers appropriate a notice requiring any person or class of persons described in the notice who are required to prepare and implement a pollution prevention plan under section 56 to submit, within the period specified by the Minister, the plan or any part of the plan for the purpose of determining and assessing preventive or control actions in respect of a substance or group of substances.

Submission of plans required by court or agreement

(2) The Minister may publish in the Canada Gazette and in any other manner that the Minister considers appropriate a notice requiring any person or class of persons described in the notice who are required to prepare and implement a pollution prevention plan under section 291 or under an agreement in respect of environmental protection alternative measures to submit, within the period specified by the Minister, the plan or any part of the plan.

Model Plans and Guidelines

Model plans

61. For the purpose of providing guidance in the preparation of a pollution prevention plan, the Minister may publish in the Canada Gazette or in any other manner that the Minister considers appropriate a model pollution prevention plan or a notice stating where a copy of the plan may be obtained.

Guidelines

62. (1) The Minister shall, with particular consideration of paragraph 2(1)(m), develop guidelines respecting the circumstances in which and the conditions under which pollution prevention planning is appropriate.

Consultation

(2) In carrying out the duties under subsection (1), the Minister shall offer to consult with the government of a province and the members of the Committee who are representatives of aboriginal governments and may consult with a government department or agency, aboriginal people, representatives of industry and labour and municipal authorities or with persons interested in the quality of the environment.

Minister may act

(3) At any time after the 60th day following the day on which the Minister offers to consult in accordance with subsection (2), the Minister may act under subsection (1) if the offer to consult is not accepted by the government of a province or members of the Committee who are representatives of aboriginal governments.

Other Initiatives

Information clearing-house

63. (1) The Minister may, for the purposes of encouraging and facilitating pollution prevention, establish and maintain a national pollution prevention information clearing-house in order to collect, exchange and distribute information relating to pollution prevention.

Recognition program

(2) The Minister may establish a program to publicly recognize significant achievements in the area of pollution prevention.

Cooperation with other bodies

(3) The Minister may, in exercising the powers conferred by subsections (1) and (2), act alone or in cooperation with any government in Canada or government of a foreign state or any of its institutions or any person.

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