Page 12 - CFCM May-June 2021_Neat

CPCA CORNER

feedback on the consumer products exclusion under the Hazardous encouraged all member companies to complete the survey to ensure
Products Act (HPA). The issue of removing the exclusion for that the coatings industry recommendations are well represented
consumer products under the HPA has been discussed for many among the responses on this important issue.
years. The issue centers on workers having access to off-the-shelf
consumer products and using them in workplaces without the need CPCA Contributes to Development of World
to follow WHMIS training or understand WHMIS labelling Coatings Council Global Sustainability Report
standards, which are not available on consumer labels. The World Coatings Council (WCC), of which CPCA is a founding
In early March, CPCA and other industry groups submitted a member, is currently developing a quantitative reporting module,
letter of objection to the survey highlighting biased survey questions highlighting the coatings industry’s sustainability initiatives, and
without industry being party to discussions on the validity of the to provide a credible platform for all coatings companies to report
survey or the actual questions. CPCA had previously been part of a on sustainability efforts in future. An industry-first, the report
working group in 2017 to address this issue, which involved collect- will identify standardized sustainability metrics and describe how
ing data on how consumer product hazard information is currently coatings companies’ initiatives align with the UN’s Sustainable
provided and used in Canadian workplaces. The goal at that time was Development Goals.
to determine if any gaps existed for the hazard information that was The focus will be on reinforcing the fact that coatings are inher-
available to workers with respect to consumer products. ently environmentally friendly by protecting surfaces from degra-
The working group was unable to come to an agreement at that dation, corrosion, scratches, etc. This extends their lifetime and
time and industry was under the impression that there was not minimizes the need to use new materials for replacement or repair.
enough quantitative data provided by government and labour groups It will also develop metrics to elaborate on the role of coatings in
to move this issue forward. As a result, the release of the survey came protecting critical infrastructure such as utilities, construction,
as a surprise and industry’s objection raised serious concerns with roads, bridges, hospitals and agriculture.
the lack of transparency and proper consultation. Health Canada did The coatings industry’s vital contributions as an “essential industry”
not consider industry’s letter of objection, as yet, and appears deter- during the COVID-19 pandemic will also be highlighted in health care
mined to move forward on examining an HPA amendment that applications such as medical equipment (including ventilators), protec-
would remove or alter the consumer product exclusion. This cannot tive clothing, antiviral and antimicrobial coatings, packaging, and
be done without full consultation with industry groups who must maintenance of critical health infrastructure and utilities. In March,
ensure that any future change is evidenced-based as the current CPCA was directly interviewed by consultants contracted to conduct
government has consistently stated is the foundation of its approach the project in order to understand the Canadian coatings industry’s
to data analysis. If this is not addressed it could be a significant specific contributions such as efforts in reducing VOCs in architectural
burden for the coatings industry, and many others, as all will have to paint and the success of Canada’s paint recycling program. The report
align with WHMIS requirements for all overlapping consumer- will be made available to the WCC in September 2021 and subsequently
labelled hazardous products used in the workplace. CPCA strongly provided to member companies for their use, if needed.

Go to www.cfcm.ca and click
on Buyers Guide to place your
new free listing or update your
current listing.
A MUST BUY for suppliers to the
Canadian market of:
• Paint and Coatings for Industrial Finishing
• Equipment and Services for Industrial Finishing RESERVE YOUR AD TODAY!
• Metal Finishing Supplies for Anodizing, Plating and PVD ADVERTISING SPACE CLOSES: JUNE 1
• Metal Finishing Equipment
• Paint and Coating Raw Materials, Supplies and Services MATERIAL DEADLINE: JUNE 8
• Paint and Coating Manufacturing Equipment
• Custom Coaters and Job Shops
• Associations, Education and Government Associate Publisher & Sales: Editor:
Gillian Thomas Theresa Rogers
• 1-416-277-1269 • • 1-416-201-1975 •
gillian.thomas@cfcm.ca theresa.rogers@cfcm.ca
www.cfcm.ca

12 CANADIAN FINISHING & COATINGS MANUFACTURING MAY/JUNE 2021