30 million people get their drinking water from the Great Lakes. All levels of society need to work together to press for more progress on protecting the water from potentially harmful chemicals in the Lakes. While certainly a lot more needs to be done (micro plastics, pharmaceuticals etc.), bi-national agreement on a first set of chemicals in which to coordinate preventative and corrective actions is an achievement in the right direction.
Why were these identified?
These identifications are part of the requirements of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality agreement (annexes) between the the United States and Canada. Both countries are then committed to follow-up action on these problem chemicals.Read more about follow-up actions
Read more about The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the 2012 Annexes
- * Restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the water of the Great Lakes Ecosystem basin
* Reducing toxic substances within the Great Lakes and working on their prevention pathways
* Recognizing that there needs to be an an ecosystem approach to the goal

- Consult the current Priorities for Science and Action 2014-2016.
- Consider attending the next public forum from October 4-6 in Toronto at the Allstream Centre.

What are the first set of chemicals of mutual concern?
Many of these seem quite daunting to try to pronounce let alone understand what they are, and where they might commonly come from. Find below some key points from extensive reports put together by the Identification Task Teams of the Annex 3 Subcommittee working on compliance to the Great Lakes Quality Agreement.Brominated Flame Retardants: 1. PBDEs and 2.HBCD
- PBDEs have a common structure of a brominated diphenyl ether molecule that may have anywhere from 1 to 10 bromine atoms attached. There are many possible PBDE compounds which have different uses and different toxicity.
- PBDEs have never been manufactured in Canada. N. American manufacturers of 2 of the more common forms agreed to voluntarily stop production by the end of 2004, which was soon followed on an international basis. 3 Major Manufacturers in the US agreed voluntarily to stop producing, importing, or selling another one of the common forms. In 2013, the export and sale of another type to Canada was to be phased out entirely.
- The atmosphere is the primary transport medium of PBDEs , and soils and sediments are environmental sinks. Transport can occur over relatively long distances, greater than 1,000 km. Evidence for this comes from the presence of PBDEs in polar environments, and in the tissues of deep ocean-dwelling whales and other marine mammals who spend a significant portion of their lives far from anthropogenic sources.
- PBDEs bioaccumulate into terrestrial and aquatic food webs. This tendency has resulted in extensive accumulation of PBDEs in a wide variety of birds, fish, insects, and aquatic and terrestrial mammals. With respect to PBDEs, concentrations in top predator fish (e.g. lake trout and walleye), sediment and herring gull eggs exceed relevant guidelines. Furthermore, while temporal trends in some fish species have shown recent declines, beginning in mid-2000, concentrations of some homologues in sediment and herring gull eggs have shown a stable or slightly increasing long-term trend
- Environmental and Human Health Benchmarks Guidelines: Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines (FEQGs) have been developed in Canada for certain types of PBDEs in water, fish tissue, sediment, wildlife (and bird eggs) to assess the ecological significance of levels of PBDEs in the environment. FEQGs are benchmarks for aquatic ecosystems that are intended to protect all forms of aquatic life (vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants) from direct adverse effects for indefinite exposure periods via the water column. Additionally, fish consumption advisories exist across the Great Lakes due to PBDE concentrations. Therefore PBDEs have been identified as a threat to the environment.
- The majority of HBCD used in textiles is for upholstered furniture, in order to meet the stringent fire safety laws of the United Kingdom and California, although according to sources, less than 1% of the total commercial and consumer use of HBCD was used for fabrics, textiles and apparel.
- In addition, HBCD is used as a flame retardant in high impact polystyrene (HIPS) for electrical and electronic appliances such as audio-visual equipment, and some wire and cable applications.
- HBCD’s use in numerous industrial applications has extended over decades, and is in increased demand. This demand may correlate with the decrease in the use of other flame retardants (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers - PBDEs). As a result, levels of HBCD in the environment have also been increasing, since mid-2000.
- HBCD is highly persistent in air, water, soil and sediment and is subject to long-range transport from its source to remote areas, including the Arctic, where concentrations in the atmosphere have been found to be elevated. Along with its persistence, HBCD has been shown to have a strong potential to bioaccumulate and biomagnify up the food chain.
- HBCD is very toxic to aquatic organisms. In mammals, studies have shown reproductive, developmental and behavioural effects. Some of these effects, including endocrine disruption, are trans-generational and detectable even in unexposed offspring. Recent studies also indicate its potential to interfere with the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, to disrupt normal development, to affect the central nervous system, and to induce reproductive and developmental effects. It is found in a variety of Arctic species including benthic organisms, seabirds, walrus, narwhal, beluga whales, and polar bears (UNEP 2006).
- Limited Great Lakes data is available and therefore it is not possible to conclude whether present environmental concentrations exceed relevant benchmarks or guidelines. However, data from other international and North American monitoring and surveillance activities suggest that HCBD is ubiquitous in the ambient environment.
- Draft Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines (FEQGs) have been developed in Canada. FEQGs are benchmarks for aquatic ecosystems that are intended to protect all forms of aquatic life (vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants) from direct adverse effects for indefinite exposure periods via the water column
- GBF will continue to look forward and report on binational actions that result from being on the list of Chemicals of Mutual Concern (see follow up actions in left hand column)
Perfluorinated Chemicals: 3. PFOS, 4. PFOA and 5. Long-Chain PFCAs
- PFOs are used as a surfactant most notably in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to fight fuel fires and in fume suppressants used in metal plating processes and in the semiconductor industry. Surfactants come from the phrase 'surface active agent'. They reduce surface tension between 2 liquids or a solid and liquid and are used often in detergents.For example in soap, surfactants produce these effects - foam and grease transfer from hands to water. 7. PFOS-related substances were commonly used as water, oil, soil and grease repellents for paper and packaging, carpets, and fabrics. These substances can be released into the environment both directly and indirectly (through degradation of its precursors) during manufacture, use and/or disposal of products containing them. PFOS is exceptionally persistent and subject to long -range transport, and is ubiquitous in the environment.
- PFOS concentrations in air are highest near populated areas. Although there is no temporal trend data for PFC concentrations in air within the Great Lakes Basin, data from Alert station in Nunavut shows an oscillating but declining trend in air.
- PFOA and PFOS are found in wastewater plant effluent. PFOS has been detected at drinking water plant treatment facilities in source and treated waters. Concentrations of PFOS are found in fish from the Great Lakes at concentrations which exceed the draft Canadian federal environmental quality guidelines established for the protection of avian and mammalian predators, but below fish tissue guidelines established for the protection of fish themselves. No Canadian environmental quality guidelines exist for PFOA.
- US EPA data shows that production of PFOS and its direct precursors, while extensive from approximately 1970 through 2002 (100,000tons total), began declining in 2003, after its principle manufacturer stopped production, and is expected to near zero production by 2015, based on other voluntary agreements with US EPA and the full use of inventories of other regulated chemicals. As PFOS-containing chemicals become more heavily regulated, their production has continued to move to developing countries where US EPA cannot track production volumes, and PFO articles are not tracked by US EPA.
- Results from the 2000 CEPA 1999 s.71 survey indicated that PFOS and its precursors are not manufactured in Canada, and imports of PFOS and its precursors accounted for 43% (258,000kg) of the 600,000 kg of PFASs imported between 1997 –2000
- In 2006, the Ministers of the Environment and of Health published, in Part I of the Canada Gazette, their final decision on the assessment of PFOS, its salts and certain other compounds(EC, 2008). The screening assessment concluded that PFOS, its salts and certain other compounds are or may be entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that have or may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment or its biological diversity. The assessment also concluded that current levels of PFOS exposure are below levels which might affect human health
- In 2008, the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Its Salts and Certain Other Compounds Regulations came into force to protect Canada’s environment from the use and release of PFOS, its salt and its precursors (EC, 2008) . Those regulations prohibit the manufacture, use, sale offer for sale and import of PFOS, as well as manufactured products containing PFOS unless incidentally present, with certain exemptions. They align with existing controls in the United States and the EU.
- The Screening Health Assessment concluded that PFOA and its salts are not entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health.
- In the absence of a Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guideline(CDWQG), Health Canada may develop Drinking Water Guidance Values (DWGVs). Drinking Water Guidance Values are developed on an as needed basis, and are based on an evaluation of readily available health studies. DWGVs are not subject to the same development process as the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality which are peer-reviewed and undergo national consultation before being approved by the Federal-Provincial- Territorial Committees on Drinking Water and on Health and the Environment. DWGVs provide sound guidance related to the compound(s) of concern with respect to human health. DWGV scan be used as a screening tool on drinking water monitoring data. Where monitoring concentrations are well below the DWGV, no risk to human health is anticipated. In 2008, the Ontario Ministry of Environment requested DWGV be developed by Health Canada for PFOS and PFOA to assess a spill of aqueous fire fighting foam that had contaminated groundwater. These values were reaffirmed by Health Canada in 2012.Environment Canada has developed Draft Canadian Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines(FEQGs)for PFOS for aquatic life (water), fish tissue, wildlife diet, bird eggs. Various states in the US have drafted guidelines.
- Fluoropolymers are used in a wide variety of mechanical and industrial components, such as plastic gears, gaskets and sealants, pipes and tubing, O-rings, and many other products.Participating companies in the US EPA 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program have already ceased manufacturing and use of PFOA as a polymerization processing aid or are scheduled to do so by the end of 2015.
- Certain types and grades of fluoropolymers have been manufactured using PFOA as a polymerization processing aid. Total U.S. demand for fluoropolymers in 2004 was between 50,000 and 100,000 metric tons. The United States accounted for less than 25 percent of the world consumption of PTFE in 2007, and between 25 and 50 percent of the world consumption of other fluoropolymers. PTFE is the most commonly used fluoropolymer, and the United States consumed less than 50,000 metric tons of PTFE in 2008.
- The reported uses for PFOA and its salts included use as a component of a formulation and other uses (i.e., batteries, coatings, and lubricants). PFOA ammonium salt (APFO) is used primarily as a commercial polymerization aid in the manufacture of fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene(PFTE)and polyvinylidene fluoride, which are used in various sectors, including the automotive, electronics, construction and aerospace industries. APFO is also used as a constituent in aqueous fluoropolymer dispersions, which are formulated into paints, inks, photographic film additives and in the architectural fabricindustry. Aqueous fire- fighting foams may also contain APFO as a component. PFAS that are potential PFOA precursors are used in the treatment of food packaging materials to enhance their properties as a barrier to moisture and grease. Thus, although APFO is typically not intended to remain in manufactured articles, trace amounts may be present as a contaminant or degradation product.
- Both PFOS (previously mentoned) and PFOA were manufactured in the USA for several decades before production ceased in the early 2000s for PFOS and in 2013 for PFOA. Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA finalized two Significant New Use Rules (SNURs) in 2002 for 88 PFOS-related substances, which require companies to notify the EPA 90 days before starting to manufacture or importing these substances for a significant new use; this pre-notification allows time to evaluate the new use. In 2007, the SNURs were amended to include 183 additional PFOS-related substances
- Long-chain PFCAs are used for surfactant applications and in the production of fluoropolymers (high-performance plastic materials used in harsh chemical and high-temperature environments like in defense related industries or even non-stick coatings in cookware), primarily polyvinylidene fluoride. Based on available information, long-chain PFCAs are rarely used intentionally in products. Commonly used precursors which are present in commercial products, such as long-chain fluorotelomers, e.g., substances derived from long-chain fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), or other long-chain fluorotelomer-based substances, can degrade to long-chain PFCAs.
- PFOS, PFOA and long-chain PFCAs have been assessed as meeting the criteria for toxicity to the environment under CEPA 1999; they are subject to a number of federal risk management activities in Canada
- GBF will continue to look forward and report on binational actions that result from being on the list of Chemicals of Mutual Concern (see follow up actions in left hand column)
6. Mercury
7. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
8. Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs)

GBF works on Water Quality
Georgian Bay Forever is active on protecting water quality. We have worked with the Township of Georgian Bay on the first microbial assessment of water quality. We continue to work with the Georgian Bay Biosphere and other partners on establishing standard protocols for water quality monitoring. Also, we support research into investigating algal blooms. Learn more .