IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR BCEIA MEMBERS
Over the next several months, the BC Ministry of Environment (MOE) intends to continue its review and revision of the Environment Management Act (EMA) as it pertains to Hazardous Waste Regulation in the province.
This EMA review will take place in two-stages. The first stage encompasses those changes identified and discussed in the Ministry’s intentions paper released this past January, while the second stage of the review, seeks to explore more complex and integrated issues as identified by stakeholders in the hazardous waste sector.
A second-stage intentions paper has been posted on the MOE website here . Comments and suggestions from BCEIA members, industry stakeholders and the public are strongly encouraged and may be submitted using the appropriate forms - no later than June 5, 2008 .
The BCEIA Hazardous Waste Committee, under the Chairmanship of Gary Webster, met yesterday with industry stakeholders in Vancouver to discuss the MoE intentions paper in greater detail. Specific concerns about the Ministry’s proposed amendments were addressed and key observations were tabled for consideration. The Hazardous Waste Committee intends to draft a position paper for Victoria on this important subject.
The appropriate forms, as well as prior commentary concerning the Ministry’s January intentions paper, are available for download from the MOE website .
Note: January’s commentary will be compiled in a Consultation Summary Report and posted shortly.
Information received will be treated with confidentiality by ministry staff and contractors. However, please note that information you provide and information that identifies you as a source of comments may be publicly available if a Freedom of Information request is made under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act .
The ministry has contracted Cindy Bertram of C. Rankin & Associates to manage the information collection process. If you have any questions regarding the information-gathering process, check the ministry website or contact Cindy Bertram at:
Email: cindybertram@shaw.ca
Call for Abstracts - Tools, Techniques & Technologies
The Environmental Services Association of Alberta (ESAA) invites BCEIA Members to submit papers and presentations focusing on technologies for the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater in, but not limited to, the following areas:
• In-situ and Ex-situ Treatment • Physical Treatment • Biological Treatment • Chemical Treatment • Soil Washing and Scrubbing • Thermal Desorption • Incineration • Stabilization / Solidification • Immobilization • Aeration • Soil Venting • Air Stripping • Membranes • Encapsulation • Vitrification • Natural Attenuation • PhytoRemediation • Cold Climates • Unique Locations • Nanotechnology
The preliminary selection of papers and presentations will be based on submitted abstracts and reviewed by a panel of peers. Abstracts should be no more than 500 words, should include a presenter biography and must be received by May 9, 2008.
Please send submissions to Joe Chowaniec via e-mail to: abstracts@esaa-events.com .
Notification of acceptance will be given by June 30, 2008. Full papers must be submitted by September 26, 2008.
B.C. Expands Waste Electronics Plan
Vancouver, April 26, 2008 (HazMatMag.com) - The government of British Columbia intends to add mercury-containing products such as light bulbs and thermostats to the provincial Recycling Regulation, Environment Minister Barry Penner has announced.
"Recycling waste and other discarded items protects both public health and the environment," Penner said. "After extensive consultations with industry and stakeholders, we have identified priority products to add to the Recycling Regulation, enhancing B.C.’s role as a leader in recycling initiatives."More
Changes to Dangerous Goods Classification
The BC MoE has recently been advised of changes to the Federal Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) enacted on February 20, 2008, which affect both the Hazardous Waste Regulation and the Contaminated Sites Regulation under the Environmental Management Act.
These changes deal with the classification of dangerous goods under Class 9: Miscellaneous Products, Substances or Organisms, including some substances that were regulated as "Environmentally Hazardous Substance NOS, Solid or Liquid". A key change involves the deletion of the list of substances regulated in mixtures at a level of 100 ppm or greater (50 ppm or greater in the case of PCBs) referenced in Appendix 5 as referred to in Section 2.43 (b) (v) of the TDGR.
As a result of this change to the TDGR, the substances previously captured by those provisions are no longer defined as "dangerous goods" and are therefore no longer classified under the Hazardous Waste Regulation as hazardous waste based on those specific criteria.
Section 13 of the Contaminated Sites Regulation contains provisions which resolve potential conflicts between the standards defining hazardous waste and the numerical soil and sediment standards in Schedules 4, 5, 9, and 10. This section hinges on a reference in subsection 13 (a) to those wastes which qualify as hazardous wastes because they are dangerous goods as described above.
Since those wastes are no longer dangerous goods because they are no longer included in appendix 5 of the TDGA, section 13 of the Contaminated Sites Regulation may no longer have any effect. The ministry intends at the earliest opportunity to request that this section of the Contaminated Sites Regulation be deleted.
If you have any questions please contact John Ward at John.Ward@gov.bc.ca
BCHAZMAT Management Ltd. Obtains WORKSAFE BC Designation
BCEIA Member Company, BCHAZMAT Management Ltd. Obtains WORKSAFE BC Designation – Congratulations!
The Environmental and Safety Training Facility, BCHAZMAT Management Ltd. achieved yet another successful milestone by becoming a designated WORKSAFE BC facility April 23, 2008.
Based in Sidney, British Columbia, BCHAZMAT specialists have been providing Employee Safety Training since 1996 in such areas as:
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS);
Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG All Modes);
Terrestrial Spill Response.
Under this agreement, BCHAZMAT will be providing approved WORKSAFE BC courses to workers on Vancouver Island.
Hazard Recognition and Control, Responsibilities of Joint Health and Safety Committees, Preventing and Investigating Musculoskeletal Injury (JSI), Preventing Workplace Violence, Supervisor Safety Management, Hazard Recognition and Control, and Basic WHMIS are examples of the WORKSAFE BC Training Courses now available from BCHAZMAT Management Ltd.
Worksafe Course Certificates are eligible for .5 credits at the BC Institute of Technology.
Contact BCHAZMAT Management Ltd. at 250-656-3382 or on the Web at www.bchazmat.com and www.worksafebc.com .
Events
May 7, 2008 info@peia.biz . For more information on PEIA, please visit www.peia.biz .May 7-9, 2008 www.cdea.ca or contact Ken Church at kchurch@nrcan.gc.ca directly.
May 8-9, 2008 www.geoenvirologic.ca .
Business Opportunities
RFSO for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments Deadline: May 8, 2008
Request For Proposals: Unexploded Ordnance Clearance Deadline: May 21, 2008
Expressions of Interest: Fugitive Emission Monitoring Deadline: N/A
Expressions of Interest: VOC Mitigation Deadline: N/A
Expression of Interest: Tailings Management System Deadline: N/A
Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA): PWGSC Deadline: June 3, 2008
Partnerships British Columbia Request For Qualifications for Quantity Surveying Services Deadline: July 4, 2008
