Question Period Note: Single-Use Plastics Ban

Single-Use Plastics Ban

• In fall 2020, the Government of Canada announced the list of six single-use plastic items that it proposes to ban as part of its approach to prevent plastic waste. These items are plastic check-out bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing hard-to-recycle plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks and straws. Each of these items are often not recycled, are found as waste in the environment, and have readily available alternatives.
• Draft single-use plastic prohibition regulations will be published shortly. Canadians will then have an opportunity to provide their feedback on this important step in tackling plastic pollution.
• The Government recognizes the important functions played by plastic.
• The proposed ban is based on science and evidence. In 2020, the Government published a Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution. It found that plastic waste is ubiquitous in the environment and can be harmful to wildlife and their habitat. And it recommended action, in accordance with the precautionary principle, to reduce the amount of plastic waste that enters the environment.
• This proposed ban is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive approach to meet its target of zero plastic waste by 2030 and can also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• In fall of 2020, the Government consulted Canadians on its proposed approach to manage plastic products. Hundreds of stakeholders and tens of thousands of Canadians provided their input, which is informing the development of regulations. A ‘What we Heard’ report summarizing this feedback was published in summer 2021.

Single-Use Plastics
• In Canada, about one-third of plastic production is used for single use or short-lived products and packaging. In addition, packaging accounts for almost half of our plastic waste (47%). Meanwhile, we only recycle about 9% of plastic waste, most of which is easy to recycle packaging such as PET bottles.
• According to a study conducted by Deloitte, over three million tonnes of plastics were discarded as waste in Canada in 2016. Plastic waste burdens our economy representing a $7.8B lost opportunity. When leaked into the natural environment, plastic threatens the health of our wildlife, ecosystems, rivers, lakes and oceans. In 2016, 29,000 tonnes of plastic waste entered the Canadian environment as pollution.
• There are a number of challenges to recycling single-use or short-lived products. These include small size, colour, low-density and low value. They are sometimes made with uncommon or multiple resins in the same product which makes them difficult to recycle. In some cases, these challenges could be addressed through better product design to ensure these products are recyclable.
Federal Action on Plastics
• The federal government has a comprehensive agenda to move Canada toward its vision of zero plastic waste and reduce plastic pollution. This includes banning single-use plastics, where warranted and based on science; investing in innovative solutions; reducing plastic waste in government operations; advancing science to better understand the impacts of plastic pollution; and, working with industry to prevent and retrieve lost fishing gear, and to improve product design and the recovery of all plastics.
• The Government of Canada is also working together with provinces and territories to advance complementary actions to implement the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste. This includes developing national targets, standards and regulations that will make companies that manufacture plastic products or sell items with plastic packaging responsible for collecting and recycling them.
• In June 2019, Canadian Environment Ministers released the first of two phases of the Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste. Phase 1 focuses on achieving consistent extended producer responsibility programs; a roadmap to address single-use and disposable plastics; support for recycling infrastructure and innovation in plastics manufacturing; and tools for green procurement practices. Phase 2, unanimously accepted in the summer of 2020, identifies actions to: improve consumer, business and institutional awareness; reduce waste and pollution from aquatic activities; advance science; capture and clean-up debris in the environment; and contribute to global action.
• In January 2020, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) launched the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative. This funding initiative supports projects that use innovative approaches leading to measurable, positive impacts to reduce plastic waste and pollution in Canada.
• To support this agenda and to access our federal authorities under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada conducted Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution. This assessment was published in October 2020. The assessment concluded that macroplastics have been shown to cause physical harm to environmental receptors while information on the impacts of microplastics to human health and the environment is limited. Following the precautionary principle, the report states that action is needed to reduce macro and microplastics that end up in the environment.
• In October 2020, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, also announced the next steps in the Government of Canada’s plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030 with the publication of the discussion paper, a Proposed Integrated Management Approach to Plastic Products to Prevent Waste and Pollution. The discussion paper includes the list of six single-use plastics the Government proposes to ban in 2021.
• In December 2020, the comment period for the discussion paper and a proposed order to add “plastic manufactured items” to Schedule 1 of CEPA closed. Written comments, representing the views of 245 stakeholders and partners were received from industry associations, civil society groups, Indigenous peoples and provincial, territorial and municipal governments. This is in addition to 24,000 emails received from Canadians. Details are provided in a Proposed Integrated Management Approach to Plastic Products to Prevent Waste and Pollution : What we Heard Report.
• In spring 2021, the final order to add “plastic manufactured items” to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 was published, providing the authorities needed to take action and address the findings of the science assessment.
• Canada is also active internationally and championed the Ocean Plastics Charter under its 2018 G7 presidency. The Charter advances a more resource-efficient and lifecycle approach to plastics stewardship on land and at sea.

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