From the NHPD Monthly Communiqué on labeling of natural health products:

The following provides clarification on the labelling guidelines for extremely small packages. NOTE – The Labelling Guidance Document currently available online is in the process of being updated with these new guidelines.

The labelling provisions for natural health products are outlined under section 93 (Next link will open in a new window) section 93 of the Natural Health Products Regulations. In the case of small packages, reduced labelling requirements exist, which are found under section 94 (Next link will open in a new window) section 94. However, certain stakeholders have expressed concerns over their ability to meet even the reduced labelling requirements due to the extremely small size of their packages. To accommodate cases of extremely small or special packages, the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) has developed and implemented the following guidelines.

The full information available here: NHPD Monthly Communiqué.

Might we see Prop 65 style legislation in the province of Ontario? A Toronto Star article suggests it could happen:

Ontarians need to know what toxins are in the products they buy and what toxins neighbourhood businesses are using, NDP Leader Howard Hampton says.

If elected, the NDP would introduce a right-to-know law to make sure families know exactly what toxins and other environmental hazards are in their food, products and neighbourhoods, he announced this morning…

The legislation would require manufactures to disclose to consumers the known, or suspected, toxins in products on information labels.

If manufactures refused to label their products, they wouldn’t be sold in Ontario, Hampton said. Similar legislation in the United States has led to companies removing toxins from products rather than have to label them, he said.

A Prop 65 annoucement by the OEHHA: Chemicals Submitted to the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee for Consultation:

The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is the lead agency for the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65). In this notice, OEHHA is announcing the list of chemicals identified through the “Process for Prioritizing Chemicals for Consideration Under Proposition 65 by the State’s Qualified Experts,” which was adopted in 2004. These chemicals have been identified for possible preparation of hazard identification materials. OEHHA will consult with the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC) at meeting of the DARTIC scheduled for Monday, December 10, 2007 concerning whether to prepare hazard identification materials for any of the following chemicals:

Bisphenol-A (CAS# 80-05-7)

Bromodichloromethane (CAS# 75-27-4)

Caffeine (CAS# 58-08-2)

Chlorpyrifos (CAS# 2921-88-2)

Chromium (hexavalent) (CAS# 18540-29-2)

DDE (CAS# 72-55-9)

Methylisocyanate (CAS# 624-83-9)

Sulfur dioxide (CAS# 7446-09-5)

For the full release, see: Chemicals Submitted to the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee for Consultation.

A recent article on foodproductiondaily.com: WHO sets out European food safety action plan:

At a 19 September meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, WHO will present its second action plan on food safety and nutritional polices for Europe. It will then be up to the individual countries to implement the policies, which will affect how processors operate.

The proposals serve as a guide to governments and national regulators. The food safety component of the plan aims at reducing salmonella and campylobacter contamination in the food-chain and eradicating brucellosis.

The first action plan led to the development of national policies on food safety and nutrition in most European countries, WHO reported.

In the second round, WHO plans to provide support to countries in the implementation of national plans. The new plan sets goals and recommends six areas for integrated and multisectoral action.

For the full details, see: WHO sets out European food safety action plan.

We thought our clients in the New York State area might be interested in this –
DEC to Hold Workshop for New York Businesses to Learn about New European Union Chemical Management System:

The workshop being held on September 26 at DEC headquarters in Albany will focus on the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical Substances (REACH). REACH is a recently adopted overhaul of the chemicals management system in the EU. REACH has important implications for United States firms exporting to EU member states and the rules became effective on June 1, 2007.

The new REACH system places increased responsibility on companies to collect data on most chemicals on the market, assess the risk of these chemicals, and define safe use down the supply chain. It also requires companies to justify continued use of chemicals of very high concern. Any company that exports chemicals or chemical mixtures into the EU, competes in Europe, the U.S. or elsewhere with products meeting European standards, or exports finished products to Europe will be affected by REACH. The September 26 Albany workshop will feature one of the authors of the REACH legislation and will provide an update on chemical management activities in New York.

For the full details, see:
DEC to Hold Workshop for New York Businesses to Learn about New European Union Chemical Management System.

Another useful primer on REACH – this one from WorldChanging.com:

REACH (the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals law) has started in Europe, and it will fundamentally change the game for industry’s use of materials and chemicals. RoHS was just a dry-run; REACH is the real deal. I recently attended a webinar by Design Chain Associates, an engineering consultancy that helps companies with environmental legislation compliance, that explained the basics of REACH and what its consequences will be for product manufacturers. Here are a few notes from it…

REACH requires all chemicals sold or used in Europe to be registered with the European Chemicals Agency. Manufacturers or distributors must supply the agency with the chemicals’ properties, materials safety data sheets (MSDSes), risk management guidelines, and safety measures for downstream users. Many hazardous chemicals (over 1,500 of them) will require permission from the European Commission to use; some chemicals will not be allowed at all…

There’s no question REACH will have an impact outside the EU; how will it affect you, if you are a product manufacturer or designer? If you produce or import less than a ton of materials in the EU per year, it won’t. For most product manufacturers, be they furniture-makers or computer companies, it will be a matter of sourcing. Just like RoHS compliance was a matter of buying the right components, REACH will be a matter of buying the right components and materials. It will be a messy and uncertain process in the beginning, but the folks running the webinar at Design Chain Associates said companies that stalled on RoHS, waiting for clarity on all aspects, ended up spending more money and taking more risk. If you want guidance, the European Commission has set up a REACH help site; there are also many companies that have done environmental compliance for years, such as Design Chain or WSP Environmental, that will be happy to consult you.

See WorldChanging.com for the full article.

Nexreg has more information on REACH at the following links:

• REACH Compliance Consulting (English)
• REACH gesetzliche Übereinstimmung Consulting (German)
• Consultoría de conformidad con el REACH (Spanish)
• Consultation de conformité REACH (French)
• REACH適合性コンサルティング (Japanese)
• REACH 준수 컨설팅 (Korean)
• REACH Conformiteit (Dutch)
• REACH 合规咨询 (Chinese – Simplified)

To speak to a Nexreg representative about how REACH will impact your company, please call or e-mail Nexreg at:

Nexreg Toll Free: 1-866-361-3032
Nexreg Canada: (519)488-5126 (London, ON)
Nexreg UK: +44 020 7993 5893 (London, UK)
Nexreg USA: (206)418-6663 (Seattle, WA)
E-mail:info@nexreg.com

I believe we have mentioned it before, but in case we have not – The site http://www.thereachblog.com/ is an excellent source of news on REACH and a must visit. Their newest piece: REACH on the streets chronicles some recent negative coverage on REACH.

Nexreg has more information on REACH at the following links:

• REACH Compliance Consulting (English)
• REACH gesetzliche Übereinstimmung Consulting (German)
• Consultoría de conformidad con el REACH (Spanish)
• Consultation de conformité REACH (French)
• REACH適合性コンサルティング (Japanese)
• REACH 준수 컨설팅 (Korean)
• REACH Conformiteit (Dutch)
• REACH 合规咨询 (Chinese – Simplified)

To speak to a Nexreg representative about how REACH will impact your company, please call or e-mail Nexreg at:

Nexreg Toll Free: 1-866-361-3032
Nexreg Canada: (519)488-5126 (London, ON)
Nexreg UK: +44 020 7993 5893 (London, UK)
Nexreg USA: (206)418-6663 (Seattle, WA)
E-mail:info@nexreg.com

A very short piece from Dubai: Mercury found in cosmetics:

Dubai inspectors have discovered high rates of mercury in skin-whitening and freckle creams that carry a ‘made in the US’ label, reports Emirates Today. The emirate began lab testing cosmetics two years ago because many general trading companies were selling the items. Officials are conducting an extensive search to confiscate the contaminated products.

Strangely, the article does not mention which products were found to have mercury in them. If there is a follow-up article, we will be sure to post it.

A press release from Crop Life Canada: Leaked Liberal pesticide plan – bad public policy, says CropLife Canada:

The Ontario Liberals’ leaked election promise to ban the use of lawn and garden pest control products on a province-wide basis would be both unnecessary and costly if it were to become law, says CropLife Canada.

“Banning lawn and garden products, which are already thoroughly scrutinized and regulated at the federal and provincial levels, would be an extremely expensive and an wholly unnecessary exercise,” said Peter MacLeod, Managing Director CropLife Canada.

“This is purely about politics, not sound public policy.” MacLeod noted that all pest control products are stringently regulated by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency, which carefully reviews the health and environmental safety of all products before they can be sold or used in
Canada.

The full release available here: Leaked Liberal pesticide plan – bad public policy, says CropLife Canada