Sustainable Chemicals Management

1
Sustainable Chemicals Management

• A Canadian Labour Perspective
• Framing a Future Chemicals Policy Conference
• Boston - April 28-29, 2005

2
Who are We?

• 3 million men and women across Canada
• Local unions and labour councils
• Affiliated National and International unions
• Canadian Labour Congress
• Health and Safety Committee
• Environment Committee
• International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

3
Policy Transformation

• 1980s Workplace Hazardous Materials Information
  System
• First and only unified National and Provincial
  program relating to workers health
• Classification and labelling
• Focus on workplace
• Mandatory substitution in only 2 jurisidictions
• In some jurisdictions actually stalled community
  right to know

4

• 1993 National Policy Position On Regulating
  Hazardous Substances
• Recognition of link between environmental and
  health and safety concerns
• Shift in focus to substitution and pre toxicity
  testing away from controls
• Not to rely on OELs
• Primarily worker exposures

5

• 1998 National Pollution Prevention Strategy and
  Workers Manual on Pollution Prevention
• Prior policy (1992) still focused on emission
  controls, on-site recycling etc.
• Zero discharge of pollutants based initially on
  hazard assessment, not risk
• Clear linkage between workers, community
  (environmental health), and environment

6

• Comprehensive program including tax on corporate
  use of chemicals (TURI influence)
• Introduced transition for workers as a core
  component
• Collective bargaining - CLC produced a Workers
  Manual on Pollution Prevention with assistance
  from CELA.

7

• 1999 Policy on Just Transition for Workers During
  Environmental Change
• Alternative employment for displaced workers
• Protection of income through unemployment
  insurance
• Support for communities to start new industries
• Preferential hiring for displaced workers
• Education and training for displaced workers
• Research and development for sustainable
  production
• Public investment funds for new sustainable
  industries and services

8

• 2001 Green Jobs Creation Project
• Comprehensive program describing public
  investment, green taxation policy, and just
  transition filling in the details of the 1999
  policy

9
Key Components

• Linking OHS with Environment
• Coalitions with Environmental NGOs
• Centred on Pollution Prevention not Emissions
  Control
• Just transition for affected workers and
  communities
• Support for an Active Public Policy to Create a
  Sustainable Economy

10
Case Examples

• Bargaining substitution to reduce or eliminate
  worker exposures
• Lobbying Government Nationally with Environmental
  NGOs
• Pesticide regulation
• CEPA Review - pollution prevention planning
• GHS Implementation

11
Case Examples 2

• Labour/Environment community alliances
• Banning Cosmetic Use of Pesticides
• Cancer Prevention Strategies National,
  Provincial, and Municipal
• Community Education - LEAS, CAW, USWA
• Community Right to Know
• Extended Producer Responsibility

12
Challenges and Limitations

• Engages limited portion of movement so far
• Federal/Provincial Division of Powers
• Lack of Political Will to Regulate
• Economic and Job Blackmail
• Corporations and their Lobbyists
• Lack of Information and Available Alternatives
• Limited Resources/Other Priorities

13
Opportunities

• Reconnecting Worker Health with Environment and
  Public Health
• Labour and Environmental Coalitions
• Exposing Impact of Toxic Legacies
• Public Opinion
• Changing Membership