Consultation on the Government of Canada’s reduction of plastic products
The Government of Canada announced this Wednesday, October 7th, the next steps in its plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. A Proposed Integrated Management Approach to Plastic Products to Prevent Waste and Pollution document presents three major projects:
- Ban or restrict certain single-use plastics by the end of 2021;
- Establish recycled content requirements in products and packaging;
- Ensure end-of-life responsibility via the Extended Producer Responsibility.
The six items that the Government proposes to ban, via the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, are plastic checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, and takeout food ware made from hard-to-recycle plastics. These hard-to-recycle takeout containers are defined in the discussion paper as containers and lids, plates, bowls and cups, made from problematic plastics, including:
- Plastic foam;
- Black plastic;
- Polyvinylchloride;
- Oxo degradable plastics;
- Multi-material (composites), including one or many plastics.
Other single-use plastic management tools are also suggested:
Éco Entreprises Québec is currently reviewing the consultation document and will address its content through its Association committee. It will file comments as part of the consultation led by the Government, for which the deadline has been set for December 9th, 2020.