The Global Forum on Environment discussed the challenges posed by chemicals, provided knowledge on effective and sustainable policies for the sound management of chemicals. Together, leading actors in the field of chemicals management promoted effective engagement, collaboration and action on the sound management of chemicals and waste. The speakers included regulators and policy makers in charge of chemical safety in OECD member and partner countries as well as relevant stakeholders from International Governmental Organisations, private industry organisations and companies, civil society, philanthropies and more. During this Session 2.1, the panelists shared their experience and best practices in the risk management of groups of chemicals, e.g. based on the example of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs).

1. 10/26/2020
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Government of Canada activities
on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
David Morin, Director General, Safe Environments Directorate, Health Canada
Global Forum on the Environment, 61st OECD Joint Meetings
What are PFAS?
• Large class of more than 4,700 synthetic
chemicals
• Highly stable and persistent in the
environment
• Found in a variety of industrial and products
available to consumers since the 1950s
• Not manufactured in Canada, but still
detected in our environment
o Likely from long-range transport, and/or
importation of PFAS-containing manufactured
items
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2. 10/26/2020
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Effects on Environment and Health
Environment
• Many PFAS are widely detected in Canadian environmental media and wildlife,
including the Great Lakes area and the Canadian North
• Readily migrate through soil and water beyond the boundaries of the site where
they were used, many are subject to long-range transport
• Impacts on groundwater, surface water, soil, sediment and food chain have been
studied with well-studied PFAS known to have effects on wildlife
Human health
• While many PFAS are data poor, well studied ones are associated with health
effects in humans and animals
• Some PFAS build up and remain in the body for years; nearly all Canadians can
have measurable amounts of certain PFAS in their blood
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Canadian PFAS Regulatory Activities
• The Domestic Substances List contains 208 PFAS, their salts and their precursors
• PFAS risk assessments led to PFOS, PFOA, long-chain PFCAs and their respective
salts and precursors being added to the List of Toxic Substances under the Canadian
Environmental Protection Act (CEPA,1999)
• 94 are already managed using a sub-class or sub-family assessment approach for
PFOS, PFOA, long chain PFCAs, their salts and precursors
• Problem formulation for short-chain PFCAs/PFSAs and long-chain PFSAs is being
considered
• Health Canada continues to monitor for certain PFAS chemicals in food and provides,
upon request, pre-market safety assessments of their use in food packaging materials.
• Trend analysis from new PFAS entering Canada suggests a transition towards (i)
polymeric PFAS forms, (ii) shorter chains (<C8) and (iii) lower volumes notified to the
New Substances Program
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Other Federal Activities
Published guidelines
• Canadian Drinking Water
Guidelines for PFOS and
PFOA, screening values for an
additional 9 PFAS
• Soil screening values for
contaminated sites for certain
PFAS
• Federal Environmental Quality
Guidelines for PFOS
Surveillance, research and monitoring
• PFAS detected in various Canadian
populations, incl. First Nations and
Inuit
• New approach methodologies under
development for some PFAS and
PFAS mixtures.
• Ongoing projects on fate, transport,
bioaccumulation, and ecotoxicology of
PFAS
• Northern Contaminants Program and
PFAS in the Canadian Arctic
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Specific challenges related to PFAS
• PFAS represent a large number of substances which could behave similarly, but
very little is known for majority of the substances.
• We continue to detect PFAS in the environment and Canadian population,
suggesting that concentrations will continue to rise given continued use
• The high number of PFAS, and determining which are relevant for analysis,
makes analytical method development challenging
• Traditional substance-by-substance assessment approaches have led to
regrettable substitution
o Approaches which consider PFAS as a class could lead to more effective
chemicals management
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Opportunities for collaboration
• New uses for PFAS continue to be found as we increase our knowledge of their
diverse chemistries
• Dealing with PFAS substance by substance has resulted in some success in
dealing with problematic PFAS
o Consideration could be given to grouping approaches
• The Government of Canada will continue to participate in international activities
on PFAS to inform our domestic regulatory programs and improve consistency
among partners
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