Prevent and Control Pollution. Canada and Ontario will work with the producers and sources of pollutants in the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem to establish schedules and to achieve significant interim reductions (90% by 2000) in the releases of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances by adopting the philosophy of zero discharge. In addition industries and others will be challenged to reduce the use, release or generation of other toxic substances which will contribute to the goal of virtual elimination.
Prevent and Control Pollution. The ultimate goal of Canada and Ontario is to achieve the virtual elimination of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances from the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem by encouraging and implementing strategies consistent with the philosophy of zero discharge. The application of the zero discharge philosophy requires multi-media and life-cycle pollution prevention approaches in order to reduce and eventually eliminate the formation of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances. Continued application of the zero discharge philosophy, both in the Great Lakes Basin and outside the basin, will be necessary to eventually achieve the long-term goal of virtual elimination. To date, contributions by Canada and Ontario to the virtual elimination of priority toxic substances include bans or restrictions on the generation or use of PCBs, DDT, chlordane, mirex, dieldrin and toxaphene. These restrictions have contributed to dramatic reductions in the levels of these substances in fish and wildlife in the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. Through both voluntary actions and regulatory programs, significant reductions in the levels of other toxic substances have taken place. Without precluding the use of regulations, further voluntary and cooperative initiatives by responsible parties will be the primary mechanisms to achieve real and measurable reductions in the use, generation or release of both persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances, and other substances impairing the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. Canada and Ontario will, if necessary, use existing tools or develop new ones to regulate and legislate sources of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances province-wide, and other toxic or undesirable substances locally or regionally. Thirteen persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances are of immediate concern in the Great Lakes Basin, as identified by the International Joint Commission and binational activities, and are referred to as Tier I substances. These pollutants require immediate action to eliminate their use, generation or release in the Great Lakes environment. Identified as Tier II are 26 pollutants which have a demonstrated potential to impair the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, and these along with other pollutants will be subject to research and voluntary reductions at source. Tier II will be updated periodically, on the basis of sound science, to ensure that emerging contaminant issues are addressed as information becomes available. Persis...
