Ad Hoc Expert Working Group: Chronic Hazard -- Canadian Implementation of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) - 23 February, 2005

2005

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Meeting Summary

Participants:

Kim Headrick (Chair, Health Canada)
Jessie Callaghan (Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety )
Stephen Rathlou (Canadian Chemical Specialty Products Association)
Jacqui Jenskey (CCSPA)
Karen Kohrman (CCSPA)
Mae Burrows (Labour Environmental Alliance Society)
Jeff Bennie (Canadian Labour Congress)
Lisa Wardell (HC, Consumer Chemicals)
Ken Loewen (HC, Consumer Chemicals)
Brenda Everson (Secretariat, HC)

Regrets:

Larry Stoffman (Canadian Labour Congress)

Observers

Abbey Klugerman (HC, WHMIS) Pierre Petelle (HC, PMRA)
Brenda Linke (HC, PMRA) Lisa Woods (HC, PMRA)
Deborah Ramsingh (HC, PMRA) Greg Lawson (Transport Canada, TDG)
Shannon Coombs (CCSPA)

Purpose:

1. To introduce topic of Chronic Hazard GHS labelling
2. To provide overview on current situation in Canada and internationally
3. To discuss approaches and options

Reference material:

Thought Starter document

1. Clarification of the role of the Ad Hoc Expert Working Group:
   
   
   • this is a significant new issue for consumer chemicals
   • this group is separate from the Consumer Chemical Sectoral Working Group to allow technical experts who are not part of the Working Group to participate in this discussion
   • we will want to benefit from experience gained in other sectors
   • this group will make recommendations to the Consumer Chemical Sectoral Working Group, who will then review the recommendation and make a final recommendation to government
     
     
2. The Thought Starter Document was reviewed and discussed.
   
   
   • Current situation in Canada
     
     
     • overview of the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, 2001
     • overview of the 1993 report from the Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
       
       
   • International Situation
     
     
     • Review of the contents of the Thought Starter
     • Note that US CPSC Federal Hazardous Substances guidelines for determining chronic toxicity are not mandatory.
       
       
3. Additional considerations were discussed
   • costs/benefits needed for chronic hazard labelling for consumer products will be addressed during the economic analysis exercise for the whole of GHS
   • GHS is a hazard based system (based on the inherent properties of the chemical), but the competent authority may choose a risk based approach
   • the validity of the 12 year old report in terms of the information that is available today (eg. new toxicology information, different consumer use profile (hobbyists))
   • the difference in available information for workers (via WHMIS) and the general consumer product user
   • reasons for endorsing carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity labelling on consumer products
   • concerns about adding information to labels based on hazard and not risk
   • the need for evidence of a problem (issues of chronic toxicity)
   • any indicators/parameters that can be identified to determine if there is a problem

   There was general agreement that the members needed to review the CCOHS report before further discussion.

Action items

• All to review the CCOHS report with the view of identifying indicators or parameters for determine whether or not there is a problem
• J. Callaghan will ask Bob Whiting (report author) his views on the conclusions of the report and applicability to the current situation.
• Members to send any additional information to B. Everson and K. Headrick for circulation. (CPSC Guidelines for Chronic Toxicity - K. Kohrman to determine if electronic copy available).
• Refer to GHS purple book: page 7, section 1.1.3.1.1 and Annex 4 for further information
  http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/officialtext.html

Next meeting:

April 4
1:30 ET