The Canadian Federal Government is asking for the public’s help in manufacturing a plan to reduce plastic pollution through a comprehensive approach that addresses the entire lifecycle of plastics. Until Aug. 30, 2023, the general public as well as grocery retailers, are invited to comment on the consultation document for the development of a Pollution Prevention (P2) Plan. Canadians can visit this site to offer input on ways to tackle this global issue. Comments received will help develop a Proposed Notice to be published later this year.
As part of its commitment to move toward zero plastic waste, the Government of Canada is proposing to develop the P2 notice for primary food plastic packaging that comes into direct contact with food. The P2 Notice would require Canada's largest grocery retailers to prepare and implement a pollution prevention plan to meet targets to reduce, reuse, and redesign primary food plastic packaging, including recycled content targets. This builds on efforts and commitments by grocers and food brands to reduce plastic waste and shift away from single-use and difficult-to-recycle plastics toward a circular economy.
"Plastics play an important role in the everyday lives of Canadians. However, a significant amount of plastic food packaging is used only once and then ends up in landfills as waste, or in the environment as pollution,” says Steven Guilbeault, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “The solution lies in the concerted action and combined efforts of all governments, industry (in this case, major grocery retailers), and Canadians.
“By getting rid of problematic plastic food packaging, replacing single-use packaging with reuse-refill systems, and ensuring that plastics, if needed, are designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted, we can all help move Canada toward zero plastic waste."
Plastic food packaging makes up approximately one-third of all plastic packaging in Canada, with a significant amount of that intended for single use.
By 2023, it is estimated that the Government of Canada's Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations will eliminate over 1.3 million tons of hard-to-recycle plastic waste and more than 22,000 tons of plastic pollution, which is equivalent to over a million garbage bags full of litter.
Canada continues to work with international partners on the negotiation of a new, ambitious, and legally binding international agreement on plastic pollution, which aims to end plastic pollution altogether. The fourth session of these negotiations will take place in Ottawa in April 2024.
