Publication of the 2nd version of the Technical Guidelines for the Environmental Emergency Regulations

The 2nd version of the Technical Guidelines for Canada’s new Environmental Emergency Regulations, 2019, were posted on the Environment and Climate Change Canada website on December 30, 2020. The guidelines are designed to help regulatees understand the requirements of these regulations and how to comply with them. They include information about:

• who the regulations apply to;
• calculating on-site substance quantities and container capacity;
• benefits of environmental emergency planning;
• who is required to prepare an environmental emergency plan;
• how to prepare an environmental emergency plan;
• what to include in your environmental emergency plan;
• simulating emergency scenarios identified in the environmental emergency plan;
• notification requirements to the Government of Canada about the charge, management or control of a substance subject to these regulations;
• how chemical substances are evaluated for environmental emergency hazards; and
• failure to comply with the regulations.

Environmental Emergency Plans are required for substances if they meet the storage threshold. Some substances used in water and wastewater are subject to the Environmental Emergency Regulations, so this guidance will help utilities determine if they require E2 plans, and help develop them.

Access the new guidelines at:

https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-emergencies-program/regulations/technical-guidelines.html

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association