Comment on: Alternate threshold for reporting ethylene oxide to the National Pollutant Release Inventory
Current status: closed
This consultation ran from October 1, 2024, to Dec 2, 2024.
We consulted Canadians about lowering the threshold for reporting ethylene oxide (CAS 75-21-8) to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) beginning in 2025. Ethylene oxide is a colourless and highly reactive gas currently used in Canada as primarily as a chemical intermediate in the production of ethylene glycol and other chemicals and as a sterilizing agent, mainly for medical equipment that cannot be sterilized by other means.
Who was the focus of this consultation
We engaged with:
- a multi-stakeholder work group including:
- industry associations
- environmental non-government organizations
- Indigenous organizations
- members of the public
Key questions for discussion
We sought ideas and input around the following topics:
- whether the employee threshold will be a barrier to comprehensive reporting coverage
- we are proposing to remove the mass threshold calculation exemption for quantities of ethylene oxide used in activities related to education or training of students
- the industrial sectors that may be impacted
- potential barriers to implementing, monitoring, and calculating emission estimates
- input on why high values of ethylene oxide are going to landfill or solvent recovery and where these quantities are coming from upstream of the hazardous waste management sector
Contact NPRI to request a copy of the full consultation document.
What we heard
Summary of stakeholders comments on the proposed 2025-2027 NPRI reporting requirements.
Contact us
National Pollutant Release Inventory
351 St-Joseph Blvd. 5th Floor
Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3
Email: inrp-npri@ec.gc.ca