WINNIPEG, Man. -- March
1, 2010 -- Environment Canada recognized
Manitoba resident Peter Taylor for his long-term
contributions over the years as a volunteer
for the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS).
Mr. Taylor has been
rising in the wee hours of the morning every
June to run his BBS routes since he first
participated in 1978. This year, Mr. Taylor
was recognized as being one of only four
Canadians to have personally completed more
than 100 BBS routes. The routes are pre-selected
by the North American BBS and are roughly
40 km in length. Similar to a car rally,
participants are required to stop at specified
points for a maximum of three minutes to
observe the presence or absence of birds.
Their results are then submitted to the
continent-wide database to help track long-term
population trends for songbirds.
“I am pleased to recognize
Mr. Peter Taylor’s dedication to the Breeding
Bird Survey, said Environment Minister Jim
Prentice. Experienced volunteers, like Mr.
Taylor, make a significant contribution
to our understanding of the status of songbirds
in Canada. The data is important to Environment
Canada and other conservation agencies”,
said Minister Prentice.
The Breeding Bird Survey
volunteers are a group of about 500 highly
skilled birders. Volunteers usually have
at least five years experience in bird watching,
and must be able to recognize birds not
only by sight, but also by song. The information
collected by these volunteers across Canada
contributes to the scientific data on songbird
population trends. The data collected each
year from the BBS is the primary source
of population trend information for scientists
and bird conservation planners. This work
is a concrete example of what Canadians
can do in terms of conservation efforts
during the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.
The North American Breeding
Bird Survey (BBS) was initiated in 1966
in the U.S. and Canada as a means to collect
long-term data on songbird population trends.
It is a continental survey and is jointly
coordinated by the Canadian (Environment
Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service), United
States (U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxtent
Wildlife Research Centre) and Mexican (CONABIO)
governments. Data collected from more than
3,000 BBS routes across North America are
used in planning bird conservation activities
in all three countries. About 500 routes
are run in Canada each year.
+ More
Government of Canada
Completes Assessments for 14 Additional
Substances under the Chemicals Management
Plan
News Release
2010-33
March 5, 2010
For immediate release
FAQs on Batch 7 of the
Chemicals Management Plan
OTTAWA - The Honourable
Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, and
the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of
the Environment, today released the final
screening assessment reports, and, where
applicable, the proposed risk management
approach documents for 14 substances assessed
in Batch 7 of the Chemicals Management Plan.
"Canada continues
to be at the forefront of chemicals management,"
said Minister Aglukkaq. "The publication
of these latest assessment reports and proposed
risk management approach documents underlines
the Government's commitment to responsible
management of chemicals and protecting the
health and environment of Canadians."
"Since the Government
of Canada launched the Chemicals Management
Plan in 2006, we have made significant progress
in managing chemical substances," said
Minister Prentice. "We have collected
information on the properties and uses of
chemical substances that are potentially
harmful to human health and the environment,
and Canadians can rest assured that we will
continue to take action to manage substances
of concern."
Of the 14 substances
assessed in this batch, three pose a risk
to human health (Michler's ketone, n-butyl
glycidyl ether,and 2-butanone oxime). Michler's
ketone is primarily found in Canada as a
residue in paper colourants; n-BGE is used
as a diluent in epoxy resins which are then
used to make coatings, adhesives, binders,
sealants, fillers, electrical insulation
and resins; and, 2-butanone oxime is used
primarily to prevent film from forming in
alkyd paints, primers, varnishes and stains.
The Government is recommending
that the Significant New Activity (SNAc)
provisions of the Canadian Environmental
Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999), be applied
to nine of the remaining 11 substances.
This provision requires that the Government
is notified of any new import, manufacture,
or use of these substances, and that human
health and ecological risk assessments be
completed prior to any new use. Two of the
remaining 11 substances do not pose a risk
to human health or the environment and no
further action is recommended.
Notices containing summaries
of the final screening assessment reports
will be published in Canada Gazette, Part
I, on March 6, 2010. The complete final
screening assessment reports for all Batch
7 substances and the proposed risk management
approach documents for the three Batch 7
substances of concern can be found on the
Chemicals Management Plan website. Interested
parties can submit comments on the proposed
risk management approach documents until
May 5, 2010.
+ More
Attempted Illegal Export
of Hazardous Waste Results in $15,000 Fine
NEWMARKET, Ont. – March
2, 2010 -- An environmental enforcement
investigation by Environment Canada ended
February 25, 2010 following a guilty plea
from CC Ever Better International Co. Ltd.
of Toronto, Ontario, in the Ontario Court
of Justice. The company pleaded guiltyto
one count of violating the Canadian Environmental
Protection Act, 1999, and wasfined $15,000.
The fine will be directed to Environment
Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund.
“Strong and effective
enforcement of Canada’s environmental laws
is a cornerstone of the Government of Canada’s
commitment to protecting clean air and clean
water. This guilty plea will help deter
others from failing to follow the rules
for proper export of hazardous goods,” said
Environment Minister Jim Prentice.
Following the discovery
of 39 skids of miscellaneous plastic and
electronic scrap in a Port of Vancouver
shipment destined for Hong Kong, Environment
Canada opened an investigation into suspected
violations of exporting hazardous waste
without a permit. Of the discovered material,
there were approximately 30 skids of broken
and non-working computer monitors containing
cathode-ray tubes. CC Ever Better International
Co. Ltd. pleaded guilty to exporting hazardous
waste or hazardous recyclable material without
a permit, contrary to the Canadian Environmental
Protection Act, 1999.
The Canadian Environmental
Protection Act, 1999, aims to prevent pollution,
and protect the environment by preventing
and managing risks posed by toxic and other
harmful substances. The Act also manages
the environmental and human health impacts
through provisions related to biotechnology,
marine pollution, disposal at sea, fuels,
hazardous wastes, environmental emergencies,
as well as emissions from vehicles, engines
and equipment.
Every person or company
who contravenes a provision of the Canadian
Environmental Protection Act, 1999, or its
regulations is liable, on summary conviction,
to a fine of not more than $300,000 or to
imprisonment for a term of not more than
six months, or both. For more information
on the Act, please visit: www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry.
