Provincial Activities
Ontario to Adopt Canada-wide Standards (CWS)
Ontario has signed the CWS for emissions of Dioxins and Furans from Waste Incinerators and also proposes adopting a CWS for Iron and Steel Industries for these substances. ? The standard sets out emission limits and implementation deadlines for these facilities and will apply as policy to applicants seeking Certificates of Approval. ? Application plans for existing facilities will be developed over time. ? The CWS set emission limits for modified Electric Arc Furnaces of 100 pg ITEQ/m3. ? Existing furnaces will be limited to 150 pg ITEQ/m3 by 2006 falling to 100 pg ITEQ/m3 by 2010.
Ontario has also endorsed the CWS for Benzene (Phase 2) building on Phase 1 activities by proposing a further 6 kilotonne reduction for facilities addressed in Phase 1. ? It also proposes minimizing emissions by application of best available pollution prevention and control techniques.
Ontario s ?Cap, Credit and Trade System
On October 24th, 2001, Ontario announced a system of emission caps for the electricity sector and its plans to expand the system to major industrial emitters such as the pulp and paper sector, cement and concrete, iron and steel, petroleum refineries, chemicals and non-iron smelters. ? Caps for fossil fuel plants will reduce NOx and SO2 emissions by 53% and 25% respectively. ? It is unclear if such reductions will be applied to other industry sectors at present.
These caps will go hand-in-hand with an emission reduction trading system wherein emission credits can be claimed by organizations and sold to others to offset excess emissions. ? Ontario businesses will also be able to purchase credits produced by emitters from surrounding U.S. States. ? Ontario intends to add other pollutants, primarily Greenhouse Gases, to the list of tradable emission credits.
Other Emission Reduction Plans
The Province will review regulations governing sulphur in fuel oil and coal with a view to expanding the areas of application (currently confined to Toronto) and reducing the allowable sulphur levels in these fuels.
Also, proposals will be developed to accelerate implementation of codes of practise to reduce VOC emission, as developed under the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME).
Industry Actions Regarding VOCs
The Canadian Chemical Producers Association (CCPA) has renewed the Memorandum of Understanding on reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). ? Under the renewed Memorandum, Ontario and Alberta, as well as some NGOs have been invited to participate. ? Ontario CCPA members are expected to achieve a 61% reduction in VOC emissions by 2002.
Climate Change Activities in Ontario
The Province has released a report on Air Quality and Climate Change? describing the co-benefits to climate change derived from air quality initiatives that also happen to impact emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). ? However, the Province is now starting to track emissions of greenhouse gases through the recently enacted Regulation 127/01, Emissions Monitoring and Reporting? (see July 2001 issue of this Newsletter). ? Such gathering of emissions data will allow the Province to formulate possible plans to reduce GHG emissions.
Many businesses in Ontario have registered with the Voluntary Challenge and Registry (VCR); an initiative aimed at compiling GHG emissions and voluntary reduction efforts since 1995. ? Among noted companies involved in this initiative are Ontario Power Generation, Nortel Networks, Noranda Inc., The Stelco Group, Sunoco, London Life Insurance Co. and General Motors of Canada Ltd.
Of particular note are efforts of the Canadian firm, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products in Guelph, Ontario. ? They have recently started a multi-phase project called Mapping Our Ecological Footprint ? the Quest for Neutrality and Beyond.? ? Central to this project is the concept of offsetting or reducing overall consumption by, for example, planting sufficient trees to off-set their CO2 emissions. ? This program is aimed at going beyond compliance to effectively neutralize all environmental effects caused by the facility.
On the Federal Front ? News from the Federal Department of Environment
On August 28th, 2001, the Federal government announced proposed regulations to reduce the emissions of tetrachloroethylene (PERC) from dry cleaning operations calling for:
a) ? a phase out of old technology dry cleaning machines by 2002;
b) ? the use of cleaning machines which consume less toxic solvent by 2002;
c) ? a stewardship provision for solvent suppliers to collect contaminated waste and waste water from dry cleaners; and
d) ? an option for dry cleaners to manage and treat their own contaminated waste.
On November 28th, 2001, Federal Environment Minister David Anderson announced the expansion of substances reported to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) to add criteria air contaminants (CAC) for 2002 including nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, total particulate matter, particulate matter < 10 microns and < 2.5 microns and sulphur oxides.
On December 19th, the Federal government announced proposed new regulations to reduce sulphur content in diesel fuel by 95 percent, or a reduction to 15 parts per million (ppm) from the present limit of 500 ppm. ? As well as reducing sulphur-based emission, such a reduction will allow advanced emission control technologies to be used in vehicles. ? The new limit will come into effect June 1, 2006 for producers and importers.
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