Health Canada released, July 15, 2015, Third Report on Human Biomonitoring of Environmental Chemicals in Canada, a technical report that provides the results of the biomonitoring component of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) and presents comprehensive data on the exposure of the Canadian population to environmental chemicals (i.e. triclosan, volatile organic compounds).

Biomonitoring data is used by scientists to assess if there are potential health risks from chemicals and to measure the effectiveness of existing risk management actions. The biomonitoring component of the CHMS involves the collection and analysis of blood and urine samples to measure concentrations of certain environmental chemicals. The CHMS also provides information on chronic and infectious disease, physical fitness, nutrition, and other factors that influence health.

The data for Cycle 3 of the survey were collected between January 2012 and December 2013 from approximately 5,800 Canadians aged 3 to 79 years at 16 sites across Canada. Cycle 3 included the measurement of 48 environmental chemicals, including 33 that have been measured in previous cycles. Cycle 3 was expanded to include sampling of environmental chemicals in household tap water; in addition to indoor air sampling, which was introduced in Cycle 2.

The report doesn’t include any analysis of the results.