Bill 75 2015

An Act with respect to microbeads

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Definitions

   1.  In this Act,

"microbeads" means non-biodegradable solid plastic particles measuring less than one millimetre in diameter that are used in cosmetics, soaps or similar products as cleansing or exfoliating agents; ("microbilles")

"Minister" means the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change or any other member of the Executive Council to whom responsibility for the administration of this Act is assigned or transferred under the Executive Council Act. ("ministre")

Prohibition on manufacture or addition of microbeads

   2.  (1)  No person shall manufacture microbeads or add microbeads to cosmetics, soaps or similar products.

Offence

   (2)  A person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine of not more than $10,000.

Water analysis

   3.  (1)  In every year, the Minister shall ensure that water samples from the Great Lakes are analyzed, in accordance with the regulations, for the presence of microbeads.

Results to be published on government website

   (2)  The Minister shall publish the results of any water sample analysis conducted under subsection (1) on a government website.

Regulations

   4.  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,

  (a)  exempting any person or class of persons from section 2 and prescribing conditions attaching to an exemption;

  (b)  governing the water sample analysis required by subsection 3 (1);

   (c)  governing any other matter necessary or advisable to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Commencement

   5.  This Act comes into force two years after the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   6.  The short title of this Act is the Microbead Elimination and Monitoring Act, 2015.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill enacts the Microbead Elimination and Monitoring Act, 2015. Microbeads are non-biodegradable solid plastic particles measuring less than one millimetre in diameter that are used in cosmetics, soaps or similar products as cleansing or exfoliating agents.

The Bill prohibits the manufacture of microbeads and the addition of microbeads to cosmetics, soaps or similar products.

In addition, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change is required to ensure that water samples from the Great Lakes are analyzed for the presence of microbeads. The results must be published on a government website.

Regulation-making powers are established with respect to these requirements.