Canadian government proposes to clean up indoor air

The federal government’s Clean Air Act, Bill C-30, was introduced into Canada’s Parliament on October 19. The proposed legislation is to set new targets for cutting Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions in place of the Kyoto protocol goals. However, because those targets are set so far into the future — absolute reductions of 45-65% from 2003 levels by 2050 — they have roused much opposition and seemed unlikely to be passed in their present form. For now, the proposals have gone to a special all-party committee for review.
However, the government also plans to introduce a limited number of amendments to existing regulations to improve air quality in the next 12 months. While these mostly affect vehicle emissions and domestic equipment, some will limit the VOC content in architectural coatings used in buildings, and industrial and maintenance coatings for equipment. VOCs are volatile organic compounds given off from some synthetic materials and considered environmentally harmful.
The government also intends to develop measures for improving indoor air quality. The government wants to identify indoor air issues that are national in scope and require government action.