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

A federal plastics registry, which would require companies to track and report their plastic production, is on the way — 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 consultation opened on Dec. 30 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, said in a press release.

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"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.

• Read more: How Indigenous, Black Canadians are impacted by plastic production, use and waste

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.

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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