Canada published its “Summary of the Draft Screening Assessment Report on Hexabromocyclododecane” (HBCDD) and is considering adding the substance to CEPA Schedule – the list of toxic substances.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act recently signed into law will require US Electronics manufacturers to report whether or not their products use or contain conflict minerals (or their derivatives) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or an adjoining country. The minerals in question are used to derive metals that are commonly used by the electronics industry: tin, tantalum, tungsten, niobium, or gold. Many electronic components and virtually all complex products will contain these metals.

The government of Canada has published its final revised risk management strategy for polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The strategy proposes to further broaden the control measures for decaBDE. The new regulations would expand the prohibition to all PBDEs that were assessed (including decaBDE). The government further proposes to develop control measures under CEPA 1999 to restrict PBDEs (including decaBDE in manufactured and imported products.

ECHA adds eight substances to the Candidate List for authorization.
The European Chemical Agency formally added eight additional substances to the SVHC Candidate list. The substances include: Trichloroethylene, Boric acid, Disodium tetraborate, anhydrous, Tetraboron disodium heptaoxide, hydrate, Sodium chromate, Potassium chromate, Ammonium dichromate, Potassium dichromate. Addition of the substance to the candidate list triggers immediate disclosure obligations for manufacturers, importers, and distributors.

Bill C-36, a revised Consumer Product Safety Act was introduced in the Canadian parliament. It proposes several new obligations and compliance requirements for manufacturers, importers and distributers to improve product safety in Canada.

EU Parliament ENVI committee approved compromise amendments for recast of RoHS Directive (RoHS-2).  Key changes are to open scope to all electronics (unless explicitly excluded) and to add organobromine and organochlorine flame retardants, PVC and several other substances for priority consideration of restriction. No additional substances will be initially added to the list of restricted substances.

Changes to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mandatory reporting regulation.  The Canadian province of Quebec has proposed amendments to it’s “Regulation Respecting Mandatory Reporting of Certain Emissions of Contaminants into the Atmosphere” regulation to lower the mandatory reporting threshold to 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2e and to align reporting requirements with the Western Climate Initiative (WCI).

Substances added to CEPA Schedule 1.  Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 is amended by adding five substances and a group of substances to Schedule 1 (List of Toxic Substances) . The substances include Methyloxirane, Ethyloxirane, Naphthalene, Toluene diisocyanates, 1,2-Benzenediol, and 1,4-Benzenediol.

Canadian Lawmakers Pass Climate Change Act.  Canada’s House of Commons passed the Climate Change Accountability Act. The legislation will require that greenhouse gas emissions be reduced by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020

The EU Parliament vote on RoHS-2 has been delayed due to the large number (339) of amendments proposed by Members of European Parliament (MEPs). Several key issues relate to inclusion of additional substance restrictions and opening the product scope to nearly all electrical and electronic equipment.