The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is leading a 60-day public consultation to seek comments on proposed fertilizer standards imported or sold in Canada.
The policy focuses on the proposed implementation of a per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) standard for municipal biosolids imported or sold as commercial fertilizers.
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances are a group of chemicals commonly used since the 1940s in industry and households in products such as food packaging, textiles, cosmetics, and others.
They have the potential to be harmful to people and animals and may damage soils long term because they don't degrade.
To mitigate the risks of contamination, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is proposing to implement an interim standard for PFAS in domestic and imported biosolids.
The limit of less than 50 parts per billion of perfluorooctane sulfonate (a type of PFAS) will prohibit the importation and sale of biosolids with high PFAS content.
To verify that importers and domestic waste processors comply with the standard, the CFIA will require laboratory results. Products that exceed the limit will be subject to regulatory action.
The presence of PFAS in municipal biosolids is due to their discharge into the sewer system together with other industrial and household wastes.
The CFIA's proposed action is part of a broader Government of Canada suite of risk control measures intended to reduce human and environmental exposure to PFAS and PFAS-containing products from their point of manufacture through to their disposal.
The purpose of this consultation is to seek feedback from Canadians including the growers, farmers, and the general public, on the implementation of the interim PFAS standard for biosolids.
CFIA asks that anyone with opinions on the matter read the CFIA's proposed implementation of an interim PFAS standard and then submit an email or letter with any ideas, thoughts, or comments.
Source : Pembinavalley online