Statement from Cassie Barker, Senior Program Manager for Toxics
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – We applaud the French parliament today on its groundbreaking decision to limit the production of toxic PFAS chemicals, and restrict some products that contain PFAS from the French marketplace. Canada must follow suit not only to better protect us from PFAS-related harms and diseases, but also to lower trade barriers with the EU.
With looming US tariffs, we may soon need to access new markets for Canadian products. To do so, we will need to comply with the stronger environmental and consumer protection laws in the EU.
The chemicals and plastics industry continues to put PFAS in products and in our environment — placing corporate profits over the protection of our food systems, drinking water, and health. Governments must stand up for stronger toxics laws and champion industry-reforming regulations by restricting the class of PFAS, which includes known cancer-linked and hormone disrupting chemicals.
Background:
- PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of thousands of chemicals used in products for their waterproof, stainproof and nonstick traits, and in manufacturing sectors such as metal plating, pulp and paper, and oil and gas fracking, These substances persist in the environment, are carcinogenic and endocrine-disruptors, and have been estimated to cost a northern nation such as Canada up to $9 billion in health care costs: https://environmentaldefence.
ca/report/pfas/ - Today, the French parliament voted in favour of restricting PFAS. The adopted bill requires President Macron’s signature to become law: https://www.france24.com/en/
europe/20250220-france- parliament-votes-limit-use- man-made-forever-chemicals- pfas - Canada’s weaker environmental and consumer protection standards named by EU member states as a barrier to trade agreement ratification: https://www.cbc.ca/news/
politics/trudeau-paris- brussels-trump-uncertainty-1. 7452693 - PFAS manufacturers have been lobbying the European Union to undermine restrictions on these highly toxic substances: https://foreverpollution.eu/
lobbying/ - Canada has spent the past four years assessing the class of PFAS. Environmentalists, Northern Indigenous peoples and firefighters are anxiously awaiting a finalized State of PFAS report and Order in Council to list the class as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).
- Last week, the EU finalized a plastic packaging regulation that restricts PFAS: https://foodpackagingforum.
org/news/european-council- adopts-final-provisions-of- ppwr - PFAS is one of several toxic substances found to be impacting children’s health, and last month researchers stated that “chemicals and plastics is a major planetary challenge that is worsening rapidly,” and that this “endangers the world’s children and threatens humanity’s capacity for reproduction. Inaction on chemicals is no longer an option.”
- Last year, Environmental Defence identified several harmful chemicals in children’s products, including highly toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” coatings on children’s winter gloves.
- Polling shows that 4 out of 5 people living in Canada want action on PFAS, and are concerned about the health and environmental impacts of this toxic class of chemicals.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Lauren Thomas, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca
