Federal Government Initiatives on Plastics

As previously advised, The Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, announced in July that the next step in delivering on Canada’s commitments on plastic waste and pollution by launching two significant consultations:

  • Develop rules for recyclability and compostability labelling: The labelling rules would prohibit the use of the chasing-arrows symbol and other recyclability claims on plastic products unless at least 80% of Canadians have access to recycling systems that accept and have reliable end markets for these products. The goal is to:
    • drive improvements towards more sustainable packaging design;
    • better inform consumer choices relating to the plastics they buy and how they should be disposed of;
    • improve the performance of recycling systems to generate more and higher-quality recycled plastics; and  
    • reinforce public trust in recycling systems.
  • Establish a federal plastics registry for producers of plastic products: The key objective of the registry would be to collect data on the life cycle of plastics in Canada. This registry would support the provinces and territories that are making plastic producers responsible for their plastic waste by requiring companies to report on the quantity of plastic products they place on the Canadian market and how these products are diverted from landfills at the end of their lives.

The consultations are open for feedback from stakeholders until October 7, 2022.

Following the comment period, the Government commits to the following next steps:

  • analyze feedback to inform the choice of instrument, instrument design, and implementation plan
  • continue to consult with stakeholders as rules are developed
  • publish a draft instrument for public comment before finalization


Comments can be submitted directly to the Federal Government by email to
plastiques-plastics@ec.gc.ca,

Or by mail to:
Tracey Spack
Director
Plastics Regulatory Affairs Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 St. Joseph Bvld
Gatineau Quebec
K1A 0H3

Please feel free to pass on any comments or concerns to Michael Jorgenson at the CHPTA as well:
mjorgenson@chpta.ca,
416-282-0022 ext.134.