Pollution Prevention (P2) Program

Under Section 5 of the Sewers By-law, every industrial, commercial and institutional facility that discharges certain pollutants, known as “subject pollutants,” must prepare and submit a Pollution Prevent (P2) Plan using the forms outlined below under Reporting Requirements by Sector.

Plans require businesses to identify and quantify each subject pollutant, along with the activities taken to help minimize or avoid their use.

Certain business sectors are also required to follow Best Management Practices, which outline specific operating standards.

Read Appendix 1 of the Sewers Bylaw for a complete list of sectors required to submit a Pollution Prevention Plan, organized by NAICS (North American Industry Classification Code).

Companies must submit a Pollution Prevention Plan if they discharge any of the following:

Metals

  • Arsenic
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium (hexavalent)
  • Chromium (total)
  • Cobalt
  • Copper
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Molybdenum
  • Nickel
  • Selenium
  • Zinc

Organic Compounds

  • 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane
  • 1,2-dichlorobenzene
  • 1,4-dichlorobenzene
  • 3,3′-dichlorobenzidine
  • Benzene
  • Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
  • Chloroform
  • Cis-1,2-dichloroethylene
  • Di-n-butyl phthalate
  • Ethyl benzene
  • Methylene chloride
  • Nonylphenols
  • Nonylphenol ethoxylates
  • PCBs
  • Pentachlorophenol
  • Tetrachloroethylene
  • Toluene
  • Total PAHs
  • Trans-1,3-dichloropropylene
  • Trichloroethylene
  • Xylenes

Send Pollution Prevention forms to:

Environmental Monitoring and Protection
2126 Kipling Avenue
Toronto, ON M9W 4K5
Fax: 416-392-9338
Email: p3help@toronto.ca

Automotive service facilities

Includes:

  • Automotive repair facilities
  • Autobody shops
  • Car washes
  • Gas stations

Facilities must:

Dental offices

Dental offices that handle amalgam (e.g. provide or remove amalgam fillings) are required to install and properly maintain an amalgam separator to capture and stop the heavy metals that make up amalgam from being discharged into the sanitary sewer. As such, P2 reporting requirements for dental offices focus on the amalgam separator.

Offices must:

  • Submit a one-time P2 Plan using the Dental Facilities P2 Form.
  • Submit ongoing invoices confirming cleaning and maintenance of the amalgam separator.
  • Submit a new P2 Plan if location or operations change (i.e. increase in the number of chairs).

Dry cleaners and commercial laundries

Facilities must:

  • Submit a P2 Plan every six years, with an update on the third year of the six-year cycle, using the Dry Cleaning Facilities P2 Form.
  • Submit a new P2 Plan if location, ownership or processes change.

Facilities may need to contact suppliers to verify whether their products contain subject pollutants. Please see a sample letter to help with this task.

Health care institutions

Institutions must:

Institutions may need to contact suppliers to verify whether their products contain subject pollutants. Please see a sample letter to help with this task.

Photofinishing facilities

Facilities must:

Commercial printers

Commercial printers must:

  • Submit a P2 Plan every six years, with an update on the third year of the six-year cycle, using the Printing Facilities P2 Form.
  • Submit a new P2 Plan if the location changes.

Printers may need to contact suppliers to verify whether their products contain subject pollutants. Please see a sample letter to help with this task.

Industrial printers must follow the reporting requirements listed for Industrial Facilities.

Industrial facilities

Includes:

  • Manufacturers
  • Metal finishers
  • Industrial laundry

Facilities must:

Companies may need to contact suppliers to verify whether their products contain subject pollutants. Please see a sample letter to help with this task.

Upon request from Toronto Water (non-sector facilities)

As a result of regular inspection or sampling, Toronto Water may ask a business that does not fall within a mandatory sector to submit a Pollution Prevention Plan.

In these instances, companies must submit the following for the facility in question:

Companies may need to contact suppliers to verify whether their products contain subject pollutants. Please see a sample letter to help with this task.

Companies can prevent pollution by:

  • Changing a process, method or technique to reduce, avoid or eliminate hazardous waste.
  • Substituting a subject pollutant with a less toxic substance.
  • Installing pre-treatment equipment to remove contaminants from wastewater before they are discharged to the sewer system.
  • Recycling by-product and waste off-site to make another useful product.
  • Recycling waste or specific chemicals for reuse with existing processes or operations.
  • Improving maintenance and operational procedures to avoid equipment breakdowns that may result in spills or contaminant leaks.

Pollution prevention can benefit companies by:

  • Increasing efficient use of resources.
  • Reducing waste and operational costs.
  • Avoiding spills, leaks and clean-up costs.
  • Reducing the risk of liability.
  • Enhancing company image in the community.