Read the full article by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson (Canada’s National Observer).
“When Donald Trump took US office and began levelling trade threats against Canada, environmentalists raised fears that pending regulations for toxic ‘forever chemicals’ would be jettisoned to avoid his ire. They may be correct.
Observers say the Carney government is slow-walking Canada’s new rules for toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals amid fresh US trade threats.
PFAS are a class of around 15,000 water- and grease-repellant chemicals used in everything from cars to cosmetics and cookware. They’re nicknamed ‘forever chemicals’ because they don’t break down in nature. They are linked to cancer, can harm the kidneys and liver, cause reproductive harm and damage the endocrine and immune systems.
The federal plan would see the government list most PFAS chemicals as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, opening the door to a suite of bans and other regulations. Lawmakers reached the penultimate stage of the process in March 2025 and promised last July to finalize the toxic listing this year.”…