The Water Pollution Section (WPS) of the Toxics Prevention Division, Environmental Protection Branch - Ontario Region has two main program responsibilities: "Toxics" and "Water Pollution", but is also involved with pollution prevention promotion. Its main focuses include industrial and municipal sources in Ontario. One of WPS's main functions is to provide technical support in cases involving section 36(3) of the federal Fisheries Act.

To understand what is required to meet section 36(3), the Federal Programs Division developed a compliance promotion factsheet for federal facilities but some aspects identified in the factsheet are also applicable to anyone (including companies) who discharges a substance or effluent directly into a waterbody. Technical support includes providing guidance to facilities, provincial agencies, and municipalities. On occasion, WPS is asked to provide comments on proposals submitted under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act or the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act as they relate to the requirements under the federal Fisheries Act. WPS also provides technical support for the delivery of some federal wastewater regulations under the Fisheries Act.

These include:

Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations
Controls the discharge of biochemical oxygen demanding matter and suspended solids, and stipulates the discharge of a non-acutely lethal effluent (using the rainbow trout acute lethality test). Regulations apply to direct dischargers, indirect dischargers, and off-site treatment facilities that treat a significant amount of contaminated effluent from a pulp mill.

Petroleum Refinery Liquid Effluent Regulations and Guidelines
Controls the discharge of oil and grease, phenols, sulphide, ammonia, suspended solids, and pH. Guidelines provide an objective to maintain a non-acutely lethal effluent (using the rainbow trout 96-hour flow-through procedure or the 24-hour static procedure).

The Regulations and Acute Lethality Guideline apply to facilities that commenced on or after November 1, 1973. The Guidelines, including the Acute Lethality Guideline, apply to facilities that operated before November 1, 1973. WPS also provides support for the delivery of federal regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act .

These are:

Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent Chlorinated Dioxins & Furans Regulations
Ensures non-measurable concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 2,3,7,8- tetrachlorodibenzofuran in effluents from mills using chlorine or chlorine dioxide to bleach pulp.

Pulp and Paper Mill Wood Chip and Defoamer Regulations
Controls the content of dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran in defoamers used at mills using chlorine, chlorine dioxide or chlorine bleach to bleach pulp. Also requires all mills that use wood chips to ensure that the chips are not treated with pentachlorophenol.

In addition to the regulatory work, WPS is also involved with two pollution prevention initiatives. WPS has been working with the Ontario metal finishing industry and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment in the Metal Finishing Industry Pollution Prevention Project.

The Project Task Force is currently seeking more participation from the sector, more case studies to report, and more demonstration projects to promote pollution prevention techniques. WPS is also administering a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Guelph, Department of Horticultural Science for the greenhouse industry pollution prevention project titled "Management and Measurement Techniques for Greenhouse Nutrient Recycling".

The research objective is to identify fertilizer runoff recycling techniques without inhibiting plant growth. WPS will continue to help provide support to toxics initiatives assigned to the Division. Most of the progress associated with the reduction or elimination of toxic substances has been achieved by the Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics Program and other programs.

WPS will make a concerted effort in the future to achieve further progress beyond ARET and other programs in order to achieve the objectives of the toxics initiative.