Triclocarban, LBPNs, Trailer Order, Vaccinia

Summary#

This Canada Gazette notice (published March 16, 2024) includes several items from the Department of the Environment. Key points: new federal guidelines for the chemical triclocarban are posted; trailer rules in the Heavy-duty Vehicle and Engine Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations are temporarily suspended for certain trailers; special conditions were set for the manufacture or import of live vaccinia virus Acambis clone 2000; and a draft assessment of 27 Low Boiling Point Naphthas (LBPNs) proposes action on 17 substances and no further action on 10, with a public comment period of 60 days.

What it does#

• Announces that the Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for triclocarban are now available online.
• Implements the Interim Order Modifying the Operation of the Heavy-duty Vehicle and Engine Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations (Trailer Standards) to suspend the trailer provisions so that the Heavy-duty Vehicle and Engine Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations do not apply to trailers whose manufacture is completed on or after January 1, 2020. The order was made on February 19, 2024 and is temporary.
• Issues Ministerial Condition No. 21722 allowing the manufacture or import of live vaccinia virus Acambis clone 2000 under strict conditions. These conditions cover required containment levels, handling, disposal, record-keeping, spill response, and limits on transfers. The conditions come into force on February 27, 2024.
• Publishes a draft assessment of 27 Low Boiling Point Naphthas (LBPNs) and:
  • Proposes that 17 of those substances meet health-or-environment-related criteria and be recommended for addition to Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA).
  • Proposes no further action for 10 substances with no identified consumer-product uses.
  • Releases a risk management scope document and opens a public comment period of 60 days. Comments can be emailed to substances@ec.gc.ca or submitted via Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Single Window.

Who's affected#

• Makers, importers, and users of trailers and heavy-duty vehicle components — manufacturers and fleet operators may see temporary changes in regulatory requirements for trailers completed on or after January 1, 2020.
• The company or person who provided the notification about the virus (the “notifier”), vaccine manufacturers, and laboratories that would handle live vaccinia virus Acambis clone 2000 — they must follow the new containment, handling, and disposal conditions.
• Industries that make or use petroleum-derived solvents and many consumer-product makers — companies in cosmetics, paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, household cleaners, automotive care products, and some food-packaging suppliers that use LBPNs.
• Nearby communities and workers at facilities that store, blend, or release LBPNs — the draft assessment looks at potential exposures from consumer products and industrial releases.
• Anyone or any organization who wants to comment on the LBPN assessment — the notice provides a 60-day window to submit views or data.

Why it matters#

• The trailer order could change which trailer models need to meet Canada’s greenhouse-gas rules, which affects manufacturers and buyers of trailers and could change emissions compliance timing.
• The ministerial conditions for live vaccinia virus Acambis clone 2000 set clear safety rules before manufacture or import is allowed. That matters for public health labs, vaccine makers, and anyone handling the virus because it prescribes containment, disposal, and reporting steps.
• The LBPN draft assessment targets common solvents found in everyday products. If the proposed actions on the 17 substances proceed, they could lead to new limits or controls on those solvents in consumer products and industrial uses. The public comment period is an opportunity for industry, researchers, and communities to provide information before decisions are made.
• The triclocarban guidelines give governments and environmental managers a reference point for monitoring and protecting water and other parts of the environment where that chemical might appear.