The federal New Democrats want labelling for hazardous chemicals in consumer products.
On Wednesday, Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian tabled a private member's bill that would require all consumer products with hazardous or toxic substances be clearly marked with warning labels that list the toxic contents.
"Canadians have a right to know whether the products they are buying can be hazardous to their health," Julian said in a media statement. "Bill C408 would protect this right, and ensure that Canadians are given all of the information that they need to protect themselves and their families from harmful products. There is increasing evidence that such legislation is necessary and effective. The recent decision of Coke and Pepsi to change their recipe to avoid the need to label their product with a cancer warning is another case in point. Yet, little progress has been made in Canada. It is time for the government to stop dealing in half measures and fix the problem."
The bill builds on existing legislation that requires warnings on chemicals in the workplace
does not cover consumer products. The European Union and the U.S. already have similar rules in place. The inventory of toxic substances includes items from similar lists from the European Union, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer and Health Canada.
"There are numerous examples of possibly harmful chemicals in consumer products, such as formaldehyde in cosmetics and methylene chloride in paint strippers. Both of those are chemicals that can possibly cause cancer, but there are currently no regulations requiring that they be identified as hazardous," Julian said.
"Bill C-408 would change this, requiring warnings on products, and giving stiff penalties to individuals who disregard the new regulations."
Burnaby resident Mae Burrows, known for her work to reducing toxins, welcomed the bill.
"This should be a completely non-partisan issue in Ottawa because low dose exposures to known toxic chemicals in ordinary consumer products can change a baby's life - something everyone cares about," she said.
"We need this kind of legislation so that consumers will see a label on a product that will tell them if any of the chemicals in the products have been scientifically identified as carcinogens, reproductive or neurotoxins.
"We have pesticides and home-reno products on store shelves today which contain these chemicals. Pregnant women and babies should not be exposed, but the labels don't even identify what kind of chemicals are there."
Burrows hopes the bill gets cross-party support.
"If the Conservative MPs don't support this legislation, it's another mark that shows both lack of transparency, as well as caring more for industry needs than the health of Canadians," she said.
If the bill passes, anyone who fails to adhere to it could face fines or imprisonment.
To view Julian's petition supporting the bill, go to http: // bit.ly/ToxicLabelPetition.
