The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is leading a 60-day public consultation to seek comments on the proposed implementation of an interim standard for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), for municipal biosolids imported or sold in Canada as commercial fertilizers. PFAS are also known as forever chemicals.
The proposed limit (less than 50 parts per billion of perfluorooctane sulfonate, a type of PFAS) will prohibit the importation and sale of biosolids with high PFAS content. To verify that importers and domestic waste processors comply with the standard, the CFIA will require laboratory results (Certificate of Analysis). Products that exceed the limit will be subject to regulatory action.
The CFIA’s proposed action is part of a broader Government of Canada suite of risk control measures intended to reduce human and environmental exposure to PFAS and PFAS-containing products, using a life cycle approach from their point of manufacture through to their disposal.
CFIA is seeking feedback from Canadians including growers, farmers, and the general public on the implementation of the interim standard. The agency has already gathered input from federal partners, provinces, and the biosolids industry. More information is available at inspection.canada.ca.