<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div>All of you are aware of the hazards that PFAS are subjecting all life to. PFAS are a major threat to our well being because of:</div><div><ul class="MailOutline"><li>the serious health and environmental impacts of PFAS at very low concentrations;</li><li>the persistent and ubiquitous nature of PFAS, and</li><li>the widespread use of PFAS.</li></ul><div><br></div></div></div><div>Yesterday's Waterloo Record includes a column by regular columnist Susan Koswan, GLEN steering committee member, on the hazards of PFAS, the "forever" chemicals and "everywhere" chemicals. The article focuses on the products containing PFAS. Link to her column this week:</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><a href="https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/its-difficult-to-live-a-clean-life-in-a-forever-chemical-world/article_34896da2-9b2b-5025-8d66-3442733c435f.html">https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/its-difficult-to-live-a-clean-life-in-a-forever-chemical-world/article_34896da2-9b2b-5025-8d66-3442733c435f.html</a><div><div><div style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">PFAS are not just in our communities in the products that we buy. PFAS are also released into the environment by the companies that use PFAS in the process of making these and other products, and when the products are disposed of and released from facilities such as sewage treatment plants.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">In an effort to get information on these releases into communities across Canada, many of us have been working to have PFAS added to Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI). Success in this would mean that producers and users of PFAS would have to publicly report every year on the types and amounts of PFAS that they released to air, water, and the ground, as well as how much they transfer off site to disposal and recycling. This is a unique tool to provide for community-right-to know and to strengthen your ability to understand pollutants released into our communities, to encourage and support actions to reduce pollution, and to help track progress in protecting our health and the environment.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b>We are at the point where it is highly likely that companies will have to start reporting their releases and transfers of PFAS to the NPRI for next year and yearly thereafter.</b> At our stimulus, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is proposing to add PFAS to NPRI. We now need your help to get the legal requirement for PFAS reporting and to strengthen the PFAS reporting beyond what ECCC is currently proposing. For example, ECCC is now proposing reporting on a mere 131 out of the estimated 16,000 known PFAS. For ECCC proposal<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> </span><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-pollutant-release-inventory/public-consultations/proposals-changes/pfas.html" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: rgb(150, 96, 125);">https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-pollutant-release-inventory/public-consultations/proposals-changes/pfas.html</a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; line-height: 20.700001px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b>We have put together a submission to NPRI on changes needed in the ECCC proposal to meet the full potential and needs. See attached submission. We urge you to sign on to the attached ENGO submission whether as an individual or as an organization. The timeline is very short. Comments must be submitted to ECCC by this coming Monday November 25th. We need to hear from you by 9:30 Monday morning so we can pull the sign-ons together and submit the document that day. </b></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b><br></b></div><div><b>The Grand River Environmental Network has already signed onto this submission. We urge others on the GREN list to sign on behalf of their groups or as an individual.</b></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Please send the following information to Fe at <a href="mailto:deleonF@cela.ca">deleonf@cela.ca</a> by 9:30 am Eastern time Monday November 25.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Individual</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Organization's name (if applicable)</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">E-mail</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Province</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to contact either of us.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">John Jackson, Citizens' Network on Waste Management <a href="mailto:jjackson@web.ca">jjackson@web.ca</a></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Fe de Leon, Canadian Environmental Law Association <a href="mailto:deleonf@cela.ca">deleonf@cela.ca</a></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">John Jackson</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">GREN Chair</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">519-744-7503</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">17 Major Street</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Kitchener N2H 4R1</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>