Feb 17, 2004
- David anderson's response to concerns about Crofton Air.
from David Anderson's office
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Champagne,Yvette [NCR]" <>
Date: Tue Feb 17, 2004 11:33:34 AM Canada/Pacific
Subject: Au nom de David Anderson / On behalf of David Anderson
Dear Ms. Bauer:
Thank you for your e-mail of January 7, regarding your concerns about air
quality in relation to the NorskeCanada Crofton Division pulp mill on Vancouver
Island.
The federal government does not directly regulate air emissions from most
industrial sources, including those from pulp and paper mills, as they are
usually under provincial jurisdiction; therefore, I encourage you to raise
your concerns regarding the Crofton mill’s permit application with the Honourable
Bill Barisoff, Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection, Government
of British Columbia, P.O. Box 9047, Station Provincial Government, Room
124, Parliament Buildings, Victoria BC V8W 9E2.
The United Nations Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), known
as the Stockholm Convention, commits ratifying nations to reduce or eliminate
releases of 12 toxic substances, including releases from unintentional production
of dioxins and furans. As part of its implementation plan for meeting
its Stockholm Convention obligations, Canada will develop an action plan
on unintentional POPs, which include dioxins and furans. Prior to Canada’s
ratification of the Convention, federal regulatory action and other controls
had already significantly reduced releases of dioxins and furans in Canada.
Further progress towards the virtual elimination of releases is managed through
the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment’s Canada-Wide Standards
for Dioxins and Furans initiative. The Province of British Columbia
has endorsed these standards, which include two principal mechanisms to reduce
dioxin and furan emissions from pulp and paper mill power boilers burning
salt-laden hog fuel, and the development of a pollution prevention strategy.
Canada-wide standards are developed in consideration of the particular controls
appropriate to each situation and the unique authorities of the various governments.
Nevertheless, some elements are common to all Canada-wide standards.
These standards are developed using a firm scientific foundation and a risk-based
approach. Standards development and implementation also consider socio-economic
factors and issues of technical feasibility and generally contain a numeric
limit (e.g., ambient concentration or emission limit); a timetable for attainment;
and a framework for monitoring progress and reporting to the public. Each
standard is accompanied by a list of preliminary actions to attain the standard.
Further information on Canada-wide standards is available athttp://www.ccme.ca/initiatives/standards.html.
You also inquire as to federal monitoring of the pulp and paper industry.
Environment Canada’s National Pollutant Release Inventory requires pulp and
paper mills (and most industrial facilities) to report annually on their
environmental releases (and offsite transfers) of 323 substances, including
dioxins and furans, many metals, and particulate matter. You can view
the data athttp://www.ec.gc.ca/npri. Monitoring of the ambient air
in the vicinity of industrial facilities such as the Crofton mill, however,
is generally conducted by the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection.
With respect to the Kyoto Protocol, the Government of Canada has signed a
climate change Memorandum of Understanding with the Forest Products Association
of Canada. It sets out key elements of a climate change agreement between
the Government and the pulp and paper industry, including a commitment
by the industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 15
per cent between 2008 to 2012, the first Kyoto commitment period. The
actions under the pulp and paper sector’s covenant with the Government of
Canada regarding greenhouse gas emissions form part of theClimate Change
Plan for Canada.
Finally, on the subject of children’s health studies, I suggest that you
contact the Honourable Pierre S. Pettigrew, Minister of Health, Confederation
Building, Suite 507, House of Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6, and the Honourable
Colin Hansen, Minister of Health Services, P.O. Box 9050, Station Provincial
Government, Victoria BC V8W 9E2.
I trust that you will find this information helpful.
Air Pollutants 
