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Canada-Wide Standards Program

• Particulate Matter and Ozone
• Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil
• Mercury
• Dioxins and Furans
• Benzene

The Canada-wide Environmental Standards Sub-Agreement is a framework for federal, provincial, and territorial Environment Ministers to work together to address key environmental protection and health risk reduction issues that require common environmental standards across the country.

The current Canada-wide standards (CWSs) that have been developed or are in the process of being developed are for: fine particulate matter and ozone; mercury; benzene; dioxins and furans; and, petroleum hydrocarbons. These standards are being developed with the participation of a variety of groups with an interest in the standards, including industry, municipal, environmental, health and Aboriginal groups.

The proposed CWSs presented to Ministers generally contain:

• a numeric limit (e.g., ambient, discharge, or product standard)
• a timetable for attainment; and a framework for monitoring progress and reporting to the public

Specific information on each CWS includes:

Particulate Matter and Ozone

• Background Information
• Endorsed June 5 and 6, 2001
• Status of Jurisdictional Implementation Planning Activities for PM and Ozone

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Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil

• Background Information
• Endorsed on May 1, 2001
• Equivalency achieved through endorsement of RBCA approach under Altlantic PIRI Initiative

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Mercury

• Background Information
• Incinerators and Base Metal Smelting, endorsed June 5-6, 2000
  • Implementation Plan for Mercury - New Base Metal Smelting Facilities
  • Implementation Plan for Mercury - New Incineration Facilities
  • Implementation Plan for Mercury - Existing Incineration Facilities
• Mercury Containing Lamp, endorsed on May 1, 2001
  • Implementation Plan for Mercury - Fluorescent Lamps
• Dental Amalgams, endorsed on September 23, 2001
  • Implementation Plan for Mercury - Dental Amalgam Waste

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Dioxins and Furans

• Background Information
• Waste Incinerators and Coastal Pulp and Paper Boilers Burning Salt Laden Wood, endorsed May 1, 2001
  • Implementation Plan for Dioxins and Furans - Municipal Waste Incinerators and Coastal Pulp and Paper Boilers Burning Salt Laden Wood
• Iron Sintering, accepted in principle Fall 2000
• Electric Arc Furnace Steel Manufacturing
• Conical Municipal Waste Combustion

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Benzene

• Background Information
• Phase 1, endorsed June 2000
  • Jurisdictional Report - September 2001 (20 KB)
• Phase 2, endorsed May 2001
  • Canada - Wide Standard (CWS) Implementation Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador Benzene - Phase 2
• National Report not yet available

Considerable additional information can be found on the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) website. Follow the “Canada-wide Standards” link found under “Current Priorities”.

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