Environment Canada has added 41 unique substances to the Environmental
Emergency Regulations, including styrene, an explosive chemical
used to make polystyrene plastic containers, and ammonium nitrate,
a fertilizer.

As an example of the hazards associated with styrene, an
explosion that occurred in the province of Quebec in 1966 resulted
in 11 deaths, 7 injuries and significant property loss.

Of the 52 substances evaluated, 33 substances and classes of
these substances (a total of 41 substances) were found to have the
potential to create environmental emergencies due to their
significant risk to the environment and human life in the case of
accidents, vandalism or terrorist acts.

Facilities that handle these 41 listed
substances at or above regulated quantities are required to develop
environmental emergency (E2) plans, if they are not already in
place.

E2 plans require that individuals and industrial facilities
using or storing regulated hazardous substances listed in the
regulations have plans for and can manage the consequences of an
unintended release of the substance into the environment.

The amendments include an exemption that reduces administrative
burdens for some facilities in the propane gas sector. Facilities
with propane in storage containers are excluded from the E2
regulations if their storage containers of less than 10 tonnes are
located at least 360 metres from their property boundaries.

Other uses of propane are already controlled under the
existingEnvironmental Emergency Regulations.

The Amendments also clarify some existing provisions and provide
exceptions from the requirements of the Regulations. These
modifications include:

• Addition of href=”http://www.ec.gc.ca/ee-ue/default.asp?lang=En&n=7A5749A9-1&parent=9D38ADF1-2F45-40C8-9565-996664CD58A8”
  target=”_blank”>33 substances and classes of substances
  representing different forms of the core 33 substances (a total of
  41 individual substances) to Schedule 1 of the Regulation



• Exceptions to the calculation of quantities for certain solids,
  anhydrous ammonia and ammonia solution, and propane;



• Provisions for closed or decommissioned facilities;



• Exclusions from the List of Substances in Schedule 1 of the
  Regulations;



• Modifications to Schedule 1 of the Regulations to include
  substances that are aquatically toxic, carcinogenic, persistent or
  bioaccumulative;and



• Revision to the reporting requirements of the
  Regulations..

The complete list of substance and details of the amendments to
the Environmental Emergency Regulations can be found href=”http://www.ec.gc.ca/ee-ue/default.asp?lang=En&xml=47FA3987-D3B8-40D8-BD6E-D32D0C9AB586”
target=”_blank”>here.