Thursday 17 February 2022

Canada proposes certain plastic items to include at least 50% recycled materials

The Government of Canada has proposed new measures that will require certain plastic items to be made of at least 50% recycled materials by 2030.

It has launched a consultation on the development of the new regulation that will set a requirement for minimum percentage recycled content for certain items made of plastic.

This would help reduce the amount of plastics entering landfills and the environment by strengthening demand for recycled plastics, as well as bring improvements to recycling systems and product design, reduce emissions and promote a circular economy for plastics.

Every year, Canadians throw away three million tonnes of plastic waste, out of which less than 10% is recycled.

By improving the management of plastic waste and investing in innovative solutions, Canada is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 1.8 megatonnes every year, generate billions of dollars in revenue and create around 42,000 jobs by 2030.

The new legislation will also make plastic producers responsible for their waste.

The government is inviting comments on the proposed measures until 14th March 2022.

Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change said: “The government is committed to achieving zero plastic waste by 2030. A key part of this plan is establishing recycled content standards, which will drive demand for recycled plastics and help facilitate the transition toward a circular plastics economy.

“Recycled content requirements would help to reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills and the environment, while also decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Together, we can achieve zero plastic waste and keep our communities clean.”