Terms of Reference

National Advisory Meeting

Review of Potential Impacts of Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in the Aquatic Environment

January 24, 2008 (11:00 am Eastern Standard Time)

Videoconference

Chair: Wayne Fairchild

Context

Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are flame retardant chemicals used widely in consumer products such as computers, electronics, automobiles, and textiles. Structurally related to the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; banned by Canada in 1977), they can be considered as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic under the terms of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). PBDEs are increasingly found in the Canadian environment. However, lacking information on aspects of their bioaccumulative and toxic nature has impaired the ability of risk assessors to articulate a defensible rationale for an interdiction or a restriction on their use. Environment Canada is presently drafting regulations on the three PBDE products, named penta, octa and deca.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has a mandate to protect fish, marine mammals and aquatic ecosystems from anthropogenic impacts. While point source discharges and chemical regulation are typically the purvue of other Government Departments (OGDs), contaminants that impact the health of biota and lead to a loss of resources represents a significant concern to DFO. DFO Science may be able to shed light on emerging contaminant concerns and thereby be of use to OGDs tasked with chemical regulation, management, and/or discharge.

Specific Objectives of the Review:

1) To determine to what extent are PBDEs being detected in the Canadian marine environment, and how levels compare with other persistent contaminants of concern;

2) To determine if there is any evidence as to the source of these compounds and their route of entry into the marine environment;

3) To determine if PBDE concentrations are increasing in the marine environment and in marine biota;

4) To determine if PBDEs present a health risk to marine biota, and what are the potential ramifications for stock abundance (Fisheries Management), marine ecosystem health (Oceans) and species at risk (SARA);

5) Only one PBDE remains on the market in North America (decaBDE); to determine what extent this form vs other PBDEs are found in the marine environment and in biota. This will include notes on evidence of uptake, loss, movement in abiotic matrices, accumulation in food webs.

To help meet the objectives, one technical working paper will be prepared prior to the review.

Outputs of the Review

The documentation expected from this review will be: a Proceedings Document summarizing the main points raised at the meeting and a critical evaluation of the working paper; a Research Document that will outline the provided scientific and technical details; and possibly a Science Advisory Report to document the synthesis of the information available on the potential Impacts of PBDEs in the Aquatic Environment.