愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Feds open plastics registry consultations in move to eventually track waste

Plastics are seen being gathered for recycling at a depot in North Vancouver on June, 10, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward Plastics are seen being gathered for recycling at a depot in North Vancouver on June, 10, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Share

A federal plastics registry, which would require companies to track and report their plastic production, is on the way 鈥 and the average Canadian is invited to weigh in.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has launched a consultation to allow local governments, companies, experts, plastics manufacturers and any interested Canadians to share their thoughts on the creation of the federal registry.

The and will remain open until Feb. 13.

"Canadians are demanding action to tackle the plastic waste and pollution crisis, and the federal government will continue to act," Steven Guilbeault, minister of environment and climate change,

"The Federal Plastics Registry is an important tool that will help track and manage plastics across the economy. It will support provinces and territories in making producers responsible for their plastic waste at end of life and help move Canada toward a circular economy for plastics."

The idea behind the registry is to hold companies accountable, as Canada moves towards its goal of minimizing plastic pollution, and also provide actionable data on the quantity and type of plastic moving through the Canadian marketplace.

Producers will be required to report each year on how much plastic they create, as well as how it moves through the economy in order to get an idea of its lifetime, including whether or not it is recycled or simply ends up in landfills.

According to the release, Canadians threw away 4.4 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2019, with only nine per cent going on to be recycled.

More than 90 per cent of plastic waste in Canada ends up in landfills, incinerators or directly in the natural environment, according to Environmental Defence and the Canadian Environmental Law Association. Landfills account for 23 per cent of Canada's methane emissions.

Plastic has a huge impact on the environment, research has shown, both as a product that is difficult to break down and through its production, the process of which can introduce harmful chemicals into the environment.

Canada is aiming to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. As part of this quest, the government banned single-use plastic items, with the first phase coming into effect in December 2022.

A Federal Court ruling recently called into question Ottawa's categorization of all "plastic manufactured items" as toxic, deciding that the federal government was overstepping by including all plastic. The ruling doesn't undo the ban on the manufacture and import of stir sticks, grocery bags, cutlery, takeout containers and six-pack beverage rings, but could cause problems with the government's plan to properly regulate plastic.

The federal government has said it will appeal the ruling.

The plastics registry isn't an extension of the single-use ban, but rather a separate tool to get a better idea of where plastic waste is the most egregious in Canada, although single-use plastics are listed as one category that sectors must report on for the registry.

The federal plastics registry has been in the works for a while, with a consultation paper published in July 2022 followed by a technical paper in April 2023 describing how the registry might work. The public was previously invited to comment following the release of the technical paper.

The registry is set to unfold in phases, with some sectors such as packaging and electrical equipment required to put together reports on their plastic production before others like agriculture and textiles.

Currently, the first phase of reporting isn't set to begin until June 2025.

The registry will first gather information on plastics placed on the market, followed by plastics collected for diversion, plastics that are reused, remanufactured or repaired, and those that are recycled and recovered for energy.

According to the January release, the registry would also make this information accessible to Canadians and businesses through a publicly accessible platform.

With files from CTVNews.ca Writer Megan DeLaire 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A former Alberta teacher has been sentenced to four years for sexually abusing a student.

Ontario will not allow international students in medical schools beginning in the fall of 2026, and will also cover tuition for more than 1,000 students who commit to becoming a family doctor in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford said Friday.

Here's a look at Musk's contact with Putin and why it matters

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of major government contractor SpaceX and a key ally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the last two years, The Wall Street Journal reported.

A B.C. nurse has been suspended for one week for diverting narcotics from their workplace and using them personally, according to the regulatory body for the profession.

Winnipeg police are looking for a suspect after a woman's dorm room was broken into at the U of M and she was assaulted.

Local Spotlight

A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.