| Montreal, 19/04/2000 – A proposal for the development of a continent-wide action plan to reduce exposure to lindane, one of North America's most pervasive environmental contaminants, was released today by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) for a 45-day public comment period.
Lindane was recommended by the Substance Selection Task Force of the CEC's Sound Management of Chemicals (SMOC) initiative for the development of a North American Regional Action Plan (NARAP), through which Canada, Mexico and the United States would join forces in reducing human and environmental exposure to the substance. The proposal and its underlying rationale are contained in the Decision Document on Lindane. Following the public review, the SMOC working group will re-evaluate the Document in light of the comments received. A recommended course of action will then be forwarded to the Council of the CEC, the organization's governing body composed of the ministers of environment (or equivalent) of each of the three member countries.
Lindane is a persistent organic pollutant which is registered for use as a pesticide and insecticide in all three of the North American countries. It is used in the agriculture sector mainly as a seed treatment for protection against pests, with minor uses by the veterinary and public health sectors. It is one of the most abundant and pervasive organochlorine insecticide contaminants in the environment. Lindane has been shown to be transported from temperate regions where it is used, to colder northern environments such as the Arctic. It bio-accumulates in wildlife and humans and a wide variety of toxicological effects have been recorded, such as, reproductive and endocrine impairments, and it can be neurotoxic, immunotoxic, mutagenic, genotoxic and carcinogenic.
The CEC was established to build cooperation among Canada, Mexico and the United States in addressing environmental issues from a continental perspective, with a particular focus on those that arise in the context of liberalized trade. Under the CEC's Sound Management of Chemicals initiative, the three countries have developed North American Regional Action Plans for DDT, chlordane, PCBs and mercury. Two other NARAPs, the first on dioxins and furans and hexachlorobenzene and the second on environmental monitoring and assessment are also under development.
The Decision Document on Lindane can be downloaded from the SMOC Substance Selection page. It is available in English, French, and Spanish. Comments on the decision document should be addressed to:
Dr. Andrew Hamilton
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
393, rue St Jacques Ouest, Bureau 200
Montréal (Québec) Canada, H2Y 1N9
E-mail: jjacques@ccemtl.org
The 45-day (not including weekends) public comment period commences today 19 April and concludes midnight 21 June 2000. All comments received by the CEC during this period regarding the Decision Document on Lindane will be posted on the CEC web site. |
