The new Ontario Toxics Reduction Act (TRA) sets out tough new accounting, reporting and planning requirements for many manufacturing companies. The TRA focuses on the creation, use and release of National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) substances. Although many companies already report on NPRI substances, this new act goes beyond simply reporting.

Companies must now:

• Develop and implement a plan to reduce the manufacturing, use and release of designated substances; and
• Report on their progress to the government and to the public.

The Act will be implemented in three phases:

1. Report on Phase 1 (NPRI) substances used during 2010. Based on the 2010 operating year, manufactures must report on Phase 1 toxics used. These include: toxic volatiles, semi-volatiles, metals and solvents. The reporting deadline for this phase is June 1, 2011.
2. Produce a ‘toxics reduction plan’ for such substances by December 31, 2011¹.
3. Submit a reduction plan summary and annual progress reports to the MOE. Summaries of these progress reports will be made public.

The significance and purpose of the new TRA is to reduce the use, creation and release of toxic substances through mandatory reporting and voluntary reduction. Its primary focus is on reducing the toxicity of elements/compounds that are used prior to the manufacturing process. The TRA states that each toxic substance a manufacture uses must be:

“Tracked and quantified, in accordance with the regulations, to show how the substance enters the process, whether it is created, destroyed or transformed during the process, how it leaves the process and what happens to it after it leaves the process”².

Given the detailed process characterization and reporting specifications the Act demands, many manufacturers will need help in meeting the requirements. At Lambton Scientific, our experienced team can perform the required analytical testing and quantification of toxic substances. This testing covers every step of the manufacturing process from feed streams to process streams to finished products. Data generated from this analysis will allow you to formulate your report on Phase 1 Toxics, and the subsequent reduction plan for TRA compliance.

Despite the seemingly onerous nature of this legislation, the TRA will showcase manufacturers’ commitment to toxics reduction, and protecting public health and the environment from hazardous pollutants.

¹ May be postponed to December 2012
² Toxic Reductions Act, 2009 S.O. 2009, Chapter 19 Section 9 (Toxic substance accounting)

To read more about the TRA online, click here. To learn more about toxic substances, click here.

Have questions or need more information on the Toxics Reduction Act? Contact Lambton Scientific at info@lambtonscientific.com or 519-344-4747.

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