Temporary Changes and Legislative Requirements
In order to address a possible shortage of cleaning supplies containing chemicals effective against the COVID-19 virus in Canada, Health Canada has put in place an interim policy that will allow quicker imports of products from the United States (U. S.).
The interim policy applies to the following types of products imported from the United States only:
- cleaning products used mainly to clean, bleach or scour surfaces (but not products used to polish, protect or improve the appearance of surfaces)
- laundry and dishwashing products used mainly to clean (but not fabric softeners or other such products)
These products may be sold to Canadian work places with U.S. labelling and safety data sheets (SDS). Important information will still be present, but the product labelling and SDS may appear different.
Similar temporary measures are already in place for certain imported consumer health products, including cleaning and hygiene products.
Also in News
Why Safety Labels Matter in Dangerous Goods Transportation
The movement of all Dangerous Goods in Canada is regulated by Transport Canada for all modes of Transportation and is governed by the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR), the International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions (ICAO TI) as well as the International Marine Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG). Each of these outlines’ specific instructions for the shipping/handling/receiving and consumer purchasing of each Dangerous Goods product or those products contained within e.g., Lithium Batteries. Having a visible safety mark on the outside of a means of containment to identify the potential hazards is part of these instructions and works to keep all individuals safe and secure from possible illness/injury caused by unmarked packaging.
Suez Canal Incident Demonstrates Just How Much Global Supply Chains Rely On Shipping
“The majority of trade between Asia and Europe still relies on the Suez Canal, and given that vital goods including vital medical equipment and PPE, are moving via these ships we call on the Egyptian authorities do all they can to reopen the canal as soon as possible.”
An estimated 12% of global trade passes through the Suez Canal, comprising more than one billion tonnes of goods each year.
Guy Platten continued: “Not only will the goods aboard the Ever Given be severely delayed on their journey, but the hundreds of other ships are also affected. The damage done to the global supply chain will be significant.”