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Ministry of Environment and Energy Solvents and sterilants regulated With thepassingofOntarioregulations717/94 and SOLVENTS 718/94, theprovince hassetcontrolson virtuallyall ofthesubstancesthatdestroytheozone layer. OntarioRegulation717/94bans theproductionof Earlierthisyear, thegovernmentmoved to solventscontainingClass 1 andClass2 ozone- control halonsused infireextinguishersand depletingsubstances (ODS)asofJan. 1, 1996and chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) usedasrefrigerantsand Jan. 1,2000respectively. inairconditioners, including thosein automobiles. Class 1 ozone-depletingsubstancesdestroy the Priorto thatOntariobanned theproductionand ozone layermorequicklyand lastlongerin the saleofaerosolsand plasticand packaging foamas atmosphere thanClass2 substances. Inbothcases, well asrigid insulation foamcontainingCFCs. theozone-destroyingprocesscaused byreleasing The tvy^onewregulationsphaseoutthe CFCs, halonsand HCFCslasts40to more than 500 production, useand transferofsolventsand years. Theregulationalso: sterilantscontainingCFCs, halons, • bansthedischarge,useortransferofsolvents hydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFCs), carbon containing specificClass 1 and Class2 ODSafter tetrachlorideand methylchloroform. July 1, 1996andJan,1,2000,respectively; • bansthestorageofsolventscontainingClass 1 and Class2 ODSafterJuly 1, 1998andJan. 1, BACKGROUND 2002,respectively; Tshoemeoz1o5nteol5a0yekriliosmleotcraetsedabinovtehetuheppeearrtahtamnodsphere • OreDquSirsetsoraedreapfotretrJfourlyso1l,v1e9n9t6s,caonndtasionlivnegntCslass 1 shieldsitfrom thesun'sultravioletrays. Ultraviolet containingClass2 ODSstored afterJan. 1, 2000, tobeavailableonrequestbythe Ministryof radiationhasbeen linked toskincancerandeye Environmentand Energy; cmaattaerraicatls.ssItuicshkansowwonotdoahnadrmplaasntiimca.ls,cropsand • exemptssolventscontainingClass 1 and 2ODS Scientificevidencehasshown theozonelayeris whichareused forresearchon substances whichdestroytheozonelayerorwhichare beingdestroyedatanalarmingratebyspecificman- madechemicals. A total of 137countries including converted toanothersubstance whichdoes not Canada have now signed theMontreal Protocol harm theozone layer. This regulationoverridesconditionsincluded in which promotes theend ofsubstancessuchas CFCs, halonsand HCFCs thatattack theozone existingcertificatesofapproval forsolvents containingQass 1 and 2ODS. layer. Ontario was the firstprovince toregulate substances whichdestroy theozone layer. With , regulations717/94and 718/94 inplace,Ontario todayhas themostcomprehensiveprogramin Canada tocontrol substanceswhichattack the ozonelayer. Q Ontario PIBS 3315E PBINTIDON RECYCLfDPAPER WHERE THESE SOLVENTS ARE USED WHERE THESE STERILANTS ARE USED Generallyspeakingindustries use thesesolventsin Thesesterilantsare used mainlyinhospitalsto a varietyofcleaningprocesses, includingdry sterilize medical devices. The sterilantisamixture cleaning. About85 percentofthe methyl of12percentethyleneoxideand 88 percentCFC- chloroform and 97jjercentof theCFC-llS used in 12,and isusually referred toas 12/88. Ontario areused by theelectronicsand metal NeitherCFC-12 nor theequipmentwhich industries for precisionand general cleaning.These sterilizesinstrumentsismadein Canada. solventsarealsoused in theproductionof About 120 tonnesofCFCswereused inOntario adhesives, paintsand inks. hospitalsin 1993 forsterilizingmedicaldevices. In InOntario,anestimated 5,000 tonnesofmethyl addition tohospitals, whichaccountforalmost98 chloroform, 160 tonnesofCFCsand 214 tonnesof per centof the total numberofsterilizers in the carbon tetrachloride wereused insolventsin 1992. province, pharmaceutical companies, privateand Therearealternativeclearungchemicalsand provincial medical laboratoriesand a veterinary technologies which companiessuchas IBM Canada hospital inGuelphalsouse sterilantscontaining Ltd., NorthernTelecom Ltd., Litton Systems substances which deplete the ozonelayer. Thereare Canada Ltd., XeroxCanada Ltd. and 3M Canada about 360sterilizerunitsinOntario which use the Inc. alreadyuse. ethyleneoxideand CFC-12 nuxture, 12/88. Thereare alternatives to these sterilants which somehospitals in Ontarionow use. Further, the STERILANTS Ontario Hospital Associationand theCanadian OntarioRegulation718/94 prohibits the Hospital Association arelooking intoalternative production, use, dischargeand transferofsterilants technologies forsterilizingmedical devices. containing specificClass 1 and Class2 ozone- depleting substancesafterJan. 1, 1996andJan. 1, 2000 respectively. Further,théregulation: • prohibitsthestorageofsterilantscontaining Class 1 and Class 2 ODSafterJan. 1, 1998and Jan. 1, 2002 respectively; • requiresa repxjrt for sterilants containingClass 1 ODSstored afterJan. 1, 1996and sterilants containingClass 2 ODS stored afterJan. 1, 2000 tobeavailable on requestbythe Ministryof Environmentand Energy; • exempts sterilantscontainingClass 1 and 2 ODS which are used forresearchon substances whichdestroy theozone layerorwhichare converted toanothersubstance which is nota Class 1 or2 ODS; Thisregulationoverridesconditionsincluded in existingcertificatesofapproval forsterilants containingQass 1 and 2ODS.