Discussion on a Proposed integrated management approach to plastic products to prevent waste and pollution

From: Environment and Climate Change Canada

Current status: Closed

This consultation closed on December 9, 2020.

Read the Proposed integrated management approach to plastic products – what we heard report.

Background

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of Canadians is the Government of Canada’s top priority. The pandemic has demonstrated the key role of some plastics in saving lives and minimizing the spread of disease. In particular, personal protective equipment (PPE) has played an important role in keeping Canadians safe, particularly our frontline health care workers.

Plastic is an important material used in all sectors of our economy and delivering benefits to Canadians lives. Plastic manufactured items can include final products, such as single-use products and packaging, as well as components of more complex products such as electronics, automobiles, construction materials and many others.

When they reach the end of their useful lives and are thrown away, they become plastic waste. If plastic manufactured items are released into the environment outside a managed waste stream, they become plastic pollution. Science shows that plastic pollution is everywhere and that it harms wildlife, their habitat and ecosystems.

The Government of Canada has begun taking action to reduce plastic pollution and waste through a comprehensive approach that invests and targets actions in various stages of the life-cycle of plastic products such as product design and manufacturing, use and end-of-life management across the various sectors of the economy that utilize plastics. Find out more on Canada’s actions on zero plastic waste.

The Government is now building on the strong momentum across Canadian society and taking the next steps in its role to prevent pollution, provide market certainty and the level playing field for companies to invest in and transition to a circular plastics economy for Canada.

The Order and discussion paper on an integrated management approach will inform the next steps in our commitment to ban or restrict the use of certain harmful single-use plastics, where warranted and supported by science as well as set the foundation for future action to reduce plastic waste and prevent pollution.

This ban or restriction is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive approach to meet its target of zero plastic waste by 2030. It complements government and business actions to transition to a more circular economy that will not only reduce pressure on the environment, but also increase competitiveness, stimulate innovation and boost economic growth by creating new jobs.

Who was the focus of this consultation

We invited all Canadians to participate in this consultation. We especially wanted to hear from:

• Industry manufacturing, importing or using plastic manufactured items
• Resin producers
• Plastic recyclers
• Waste practitioners
• Packaging producers
• Food service and grocers
• Municipalities
• Environmental non-governmental organizations
• Indigenous peoples and communities
• Retail sector
• Automotive sector
• Electronics and electrical equipment sector, including appliance manufacturers
• Construction and renovation sector
• Textile and fashion industry
• Health care sector
• Agricultural sector
• Fisheries and aquaculture sectors
• Hospitality and tourism sector
• Transportation sector

Related information

• Discussion paper on a Proposed Integrated Management Approach to Plastic Products to Prevent Waste and Pollution
• Proposed Order adding plastic manufactured items to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
• Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution
• Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste website
• Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste
• Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste
• Ocean Plastics Charter
• Microbeads in Toiletries Regulations

Contact us

If you have any questions or comments related to the webinar series, please contact plastiques-plastics@stratos-sts.com.

Program Development and Engagement Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0H3
Fax: 819-938-5212
Email: ec.plastiques-plastics.ec@canada.ca